One week after the La Soufrière volcano erupted on the island of St. Vincent, member nations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and other countries of the region continue to offer their support to the Vincentian government by opening their borders to receive evacuees and providing emergency supplies and equipment. The [ … ]
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Argentine Gendarmerie Seizes More than 6 Tons of Marijuana
In early March, the Argentine National Gendarmerie (GNA, in Spanish) seized more than 6 tons of marijuana in only two operations in Misiones province. In both cases, agents were patrolling the area when they saw suspicious vehicles. On March 10, authorities carried out one of the operations near the mouth [ … ]
Brazilian Army Destroys 41 Clandestine Ports Criminals Used on Itaipu Lake
Between February 15 and March 5, Brazilian military and police forces destroyed 41 clandestine ports used by criminal organizations on Itaipu Lake, in the state of Paraná. The actions took place during Operation Importunus 2, and were carried out by soldiers of the Brazilian Army’s (EB, in Portuguese) 15th Motorized [ … ]
Plan, Prepare, Perform — United States Supports St. Vincent Volcano Response
The U.S. government has mobilized a multi-tier, interagency approach to bring much needed relief to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) recently announced an increase of $100,000 in disaster relief for people affected by violent eruptions of the La Soufrière volcano. [ … ]
Bolivia: Agents Destroy Mega Lab that Produced 100 Kg of Cocaine a Day
On March 13, 2021, agents of Bolivia’s Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (FELCN, in Spanish) destroyed a cocaine mega lab in the Cabo Juan Wildlife Reserve, Tarija department, on the border with Paraguay. “It is believed that the lab had the capacity to crystalize 100 kilograms of cocaine per [ … ]
Colombia Stops Shipment of 4.5 Tons of Drugs
Joint military operations in Colombia prevented the shipment of 4.5 tons of drugs to international markets. On March 3, 2021, the Colombian Army told the press that its troops had seized 3,538 kilograms of creepy-type marijuana, which were transported in 75 bags on two vessels on the Yarí River, in [ … ]
Brazil Installs Intelligent Border Control Systems
The Brazil-Venezuela border will receive a real-time surveillance system to strengthen the fight against crimes such as smuggling, fraud, and arms and drug trafficking. Equipment such as smart lights, facial recognition software, motion-sensor cameras, and drones with thermal imaging cameras will be installed in the Brazilian city of Pacaraima, Roraima [ … ]
Paraguay: Anti-drug Agents Arrest Four PCC Members
On February 11, 2021, agents of the Paraguayan National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD, in Spanish) arrested four Brazilian nationals — three men and one woman — believed to belong to the Brazilian criminal organization First Capital Command (PCC, in Portuguese). The arrests were carried out in the city of Pedro Juan [ … ]
Brazil Launches First Satellite with National Technology
Amazonia 1, the first satellite completely designed, integrated, tested, and operated in Brazil, was successfully launched on February 28, 2021, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota, India. The equipment will provide remote sensing data to observe and monitor the Amazon region, and to monitor the country’s agriculture, coastal [ … ]
Colombia Captures Prince of Semisubmersibles
The Colombian National Police captured Oscar Adriano Quintero Rengifo, alias Guatala, known as the prince of semisubmersibles, on February 5, 2021, in Valle del Cauca, the institution reported. The narcotrafficker had links to the Mexican cartel Jalisco New Generation, and coordinated large cocaine shipments bound for Mexico and the United [ … ]
Brazilian Army’s First Class of Female Combatants Graduates in 2021
The year 2021 will go down in history for the Brazilian Army (EB, in Portuguese), with the graduation of the first class of women from the traditional Agulhas Negras Military Academy (AMAN, in Portuguese), a 210-year old institution. This cycle started in 2018, with the unprecedented participation of women, among [ … ]
Admiral Craig S. Faller Visits Argentina and Strengthens Bilateral Cooperation
U.S. Navy Admiral Craig S. Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), and Argentine Minister of Defense Agustín Rossi met April 8, 2021, to strengthen bilateral cooperation between both countries and help in the fight against the novel coronavirus. The meeting took place behind closed doors in the Libertador Building, [ … ]