On March 25, the U.S. Embassy in Belize provided vital maritime and tactical equipment to the Belize Coast Guard. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Keith Gilges handed over six outboard engines, along with navigational equipment, maintenance tools, and 15 sets of night vision goggles to Belizean Minister of National Defence and Border Security [ … ]
News
US, Honduras, Costa Rica Train for Fires
Joint Task Force Bravo’s (JTF-Bravo) 612th Air Base Squadron hosted a new iteration of exercise CENTAM SMOKE at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, March 22-26, with the participation of 19 firefighters from Honduras and five from Costa Rica. The Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences exercise (CENTAM SMOKE) [ … ]
Colombia Seizes More than 10.5 Tons of Drugs
In six operations, the Colombian Public Force seized more than 10.5 tons of drugs in various areas of the country. On March 11, 2021, the Navy and the Army, in coordination with the Police, seized 561 kilograms of marijuana that two individuals were transporting in a vessel on the Guapi [ … ]
DOD Officials Give Report on Women, Peace, and Security Compliance
The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) program fits right into the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) breadbasket because “it is a tool for smart power,” U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Rebecca J. Sonkiss, the Joint Staff J5 deputy director for Counter Threats and International Cooperation said. Brig. Gen. Sonkiss was [ … ]
US Southern Command Delivered More than $400,000 in Humanitarian Aid to El Salvador since the Start of the Pandemic
The U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, through the Embassy’s Military Group, and thanks to the Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP) of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), has provided $431,911 to support the needs of El Salvador during the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance has been delivered through 28 donations made from March 2020 [ … ]
Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic Join Efforts to Fight Narcotrafficking in the Caribbean
Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are joining efforts to stop transnational criminal groups that attempt to move drugs to the United States or Europe on Caribbean waters. Between March 1 and 20, together they seized 2,723 kilograms of cocaine at different locations in their territorial seas. On March 14, [ … ]
Ecuadorian Navy Service Members Train with Colombian Counterparts
For the first time, 13 members of the Ecuadorian Navy are taking part in the Certified Tactical Planning in Naval Operations course at the Colombian Navy’s Almirante Padilla Naval Cadet School. Through May, the students, along with 12 Colombian counterparts, will receive training in planning and orientation in military operations, [ … ]
Brazilian Service Members Join UN Missions
Brazil increased female participation in United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping missions to comply with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, which established the Women, Peace, and Security program, in 2000. Currently, six officers from the Armed Forces take part in one of the U.N.’s 13 missions. Brazilian service members joined U.N. missions [ … ]
Brazilian Navy and Federal Police Intercept Vessel Carrying Cocaine
On February 14, 2021, the Brazilian Navy (MB, in Portuguese) and the Federal Police intercepted a catamaran sailboat that was approaching international waters. The vessel was crossing the northeastern coast of Brazil at night, carrying 2.2 tons of drugs, distributed in more than 70 waterproof bags. The sailboat, bound for [ … ]
Paraguay: Anti-drug Agents Destroy Nearly 1,500 Tons of Marijuana
The Paraguayan National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD, in Spanish) concluded Operation New Alliance XXIV (Operación Nueva Alianza XXIV) with the destruction of 490 hectares of illegal cannabis crops in Amambay department, on March 8, 2021. “The 490 hectares are equivalent to 1,470 tons of marijuana destroyed,” SENAD reported in a statement. [ … ]
Countries of the Region Support St. Vincent Following Volcano Emergency
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 [ … ]
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 [ … ]