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SOUTHAM 2026 Brings South American Air Chiefs Together to Address Regional ChallengesSecurity & Cooperation

SOUTHAM 2026 Brings South American Air Chiefs Together to Address Regional Challenges

Air chiefs and senior military leaders from across South America gathered in Tucson, Arizona, August 25-28 for the South American Air Chiefs Conference (SOUTHAM) 2026, a four-day conference focused on strengthening regional cooperation and developing coordinated approaches to shared security challenges across the Western Hemisphere. Hosted by U.S. Air Forces Southern/12th Air Force (AFSOUTH), the air component to U.S. Southern…

September 01, 2026
Panama Strengthens Cyber Defense to Protect Critical InfrastructureEmerging Threats

Panama Strengthens Cyber Defense to Protect Critical Infrastructure

Panama is strengthening its ability to protect the digital systems that support government operations and critical infrastructure. The country recently advanced this effort by operationalizing its State Cybersecurity Operations Center, designed to continuously monitor government networks, improve incident response, and strengthen protection against increasingly sophisticated threats. Led by the National Authority for Government Innovation (AIG), the initiative forms part of…

August 31, 2026
‘Ndrangheta in Ecuador: A Growing Threat to Regional SecurityTransnational Crime

‘Ndrangheta in Ecuador: A Growing Threat to Regional Security

With global cocaine production reaching a record estimated 4,100 metric tons in 2024, Ecuador has emerged as one of the principal departure points for cocaine shipments bound for international markets. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the country seized nearly 300 metric tons of drugs in 2024 — one of the highest totals in the…

August 31, 2026
Why Guaviare Matters: FARC Dissident Rivalries Threaten Colombia’s Strategic Trafficking CorridorsTransnational Crime

Why Guaviare Matters: FARC Dissident Rivalries Threaten Colombia’s Strategic Trafficking Corridors

The Colombian department of Guaviare has become one of the principal battlegrounds in the conflict between rival dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Rather than fighting over coca cultivation alone, the armed groups are competing for control of strategic trafficking corridors, criminal economies, and key logistics routes. Following the 2016 peace agreement, the FARC fighters who…

August 28, 2026
China’s Expansion in Squid Fishery Poses New Maritime Security ChallengesStrategic Influence

China’s Expansion in Squid Fishery Poses New Maritime Security Challenges

The expansion of China’s fishing fleet in South American waters is no longer limited to the large concentrations of vessels operating on the high seas along the edge of the region’s exclusive economic zones (EEZs). Chinese companies have also expanded their presence within national fishing fleets through acquisitions, local subsidiaries, and the reflagging of vessels, allowing them to operate both…

August 28, 2026
Ports, Data, and Critical Infrastructure: Protecting Guatemala’s Strategic AssetsStrategic Influence

Ports, Data, and Critical Infrastructure: Protecting Guatemala’s Strategic Assets

With a population of more than 18 million, the largest economy in Central America, and a strategic location between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Guatemala occupies a unique position in the region. As the country modernizes its port, digital, and technological infrastructure, Chinese companies and technologies have expanded their presence across multiple sectors. This has prompted broader discussions about how…

August 27, 2026
Ecuador: At the Heart of the Reconfiguration of Andean Illicit CorridorsTransnational Crime

Ecuador: At the Heart of the Reconfiguration of Andean Illicit Corridors

The arrest in Ecuador of Luis Rolando Osorio Arévalo, alias Mison, accused by Colombian authorities of helping facilitate the expansion of Tren de Aragua in Bogotá, offered a glimpse into a broader transformation taking place across the Andes. Osorio was arrested in Ecuador following a coordinated operation between the security forces of Ecuador and Colombia and was transferred to Colombian…

August 25, 2026
Chile Exposes How Organized Crime Turns Stolen Copper into Transnational RevenueTransnational Crime

Chile Exposes How Organized Crime Turns Stolen Copper into Transnational Revenue

Months of coordinated investigative work culminated in the largest seizure of stolen copper in Chile’s history. Operation High Voltage, carried out in April 2026 by the Investigative Police (PDI), the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service, and the National Customs Service, led to simultaneous raids on 49 locations across seven regions of the country. The operation resulted in the…

August 24, 2026
Technology, Data, and Digital Sovereignty: China’s Growing Presence in Latin AmericaStrategic Influence

Technology, Data, and Digital Sovereignty: China’s Growing Presence in Latin America

Across Latin America and the Caribbean, Chinese technology is becoming increasingly embedded in the systems that support everyday life and government operations. From telecommunications networks and video surveillance systems to cloud services and emerging artificial intelligence (AI) applications, Beijing’s growing presence in the digital domain is fueling a regional debate over digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, and technological dependence. As governments modernize…

August 24, 2026
Inside the Pacific’s Criminal Network: How Drug Traffickers Exploit Ecuador’s Fishing InfrastructureTransnational Crime

Inside the Pacific’s Criminal Network: How Drug Traffickers Exploit Ecuador’s Fishing Infrastructure

The convergence between Mexican cartels and Ecuadorian criminal organizations has evolved from a system of territorial alliances into a more flexible and decentralized transnational logistics network. While Mexican cartels once relied on local groups to move cocaine from the Colombian border to Ecuadorian ports, cooperation increasingly extends along the Eastern Pacific (EPAC) maritime corridor: Ecuadorian groups provide infrastructure, vessels, and…

August 21, 2026
Strategic Infrastructure and Accountability: Panama Reassesses Chinese MegaprojectsStrategic Influence

Strategic Infrastructure and Accountability: Panama Reassesses Chinese Megaprojects

The explosion and fire beneath the Bridge of the Americas in April, which killed one person, injured two others, and forced the temporary closure of one of Panama’s vital transportation routes, underscored the importance of resilient strategic infrastructure and alternative routes capable of sustaining mobility and logistical continuity during an emergency. The incident also revived debate over delays in the…

August 21, 2026
Guatemala Strengthens Cybersecurity Through Regional PartnershipsStrategic Influence

Guatemala Strengthens Cybersecurity Through Regional Partnerships

Cyberspace has emerged as a critical domain for national security. Beyond the traditional domains of land, air, and sea, the digital networks that support energy, transportation, communications, finance, customs, emergency response, and government operations have become critical infrastructure — and increasingly attractive targets for cybercriminals and hostile state actors. Recognizing these growing risks, Guatemala has expanded efforts to strengthen cyber…

August 21, 2026