Guatemala served as the epicenter of an ambitious regional effort, bringing together leaders from security forces, local authorities, experts, and representatives of civil society at the Latin American and Caribbean Forum on Democratic Security and Territorial Governance. The event, held in mid-February, marked the launch of the Latin American and [ … ]
As space becomes increasingly important for security, defense, disaster response, and technological development, military leaders and representatives from partner nations from across the hemisphere gathered at U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) headquarters in Doral, Florida, April 28–30, for the Space Conference of the Americas 2026, hosted by SOUTHCOM in collaboration with [ … ]
Organized crime in Brazil is undergoing a profound transformation. The continued expansion of drug trafficking — illustrated by sharp increases in drug seizures in parts of the country, including a reported 40 percent rise in Pará state in 2025 — combined with the growing exploitation of Brazil’s financial ecosystem, including [ … ]
A growing international coalition of governments, civil society organizations, and fishing-sector stakeholders is calling for stronger controls on China’s distant-water fishing fleet operating in the South Pacific. Their concerns go beyond sustainability. The expansion of China’s fleet has increasingly raised questions about maritime security, high seas governance, and the ability [ … ]
Venezuela’s role in regional efforts to counter transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) may be entering a new phase. Following the January 2026 arrest of Nicolás Maduro, the country has entered a fluid political transition under interim leadership. At the same time, diplomatic engagement with the United States and neighboring countries has [ … ]
In the Amazonian expanse of the Guiana Shield — a region that includes Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and adjacent parts of Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia — illegal gold mining has moved beyond a supporting illicit activity to become a parallel and increasingly resilient source of financing and territorial control for [ … ]
U.S. Air Force medical and support personnel returned to Saint Lucia to conduct the Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2026 mission in partnership with the Saint Lucia Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, continuing a long-standing collaboration focused on patient care and clinical knowledge exchange across the island. [ … ]
Guatemala is strengthening its operational capabilities against transnational criminal networks through a series of initiatives that include specialized training, joint exercises, technical assistance, and logistical support carried out in close cooperation with the United States. This effort takes place within a regional environment where increasingly sophisticated transnational criminal organizations demand [ … ]
Senior military leaders from the French Republic, Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United States convened in Key West, Florida, April 28-29, 2026, to strengthen coordination against transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) operating across the Western Hemisphere. The allied forces reaffirmed their commitment to expanding partnerships, improving information sharing, and enhancing [ … ]
The fight against criminal structures in Central America has entered a new phase: dismantling their growing operational sophistication. In both Honduras and Guatemala, security forces are not only confronting criminal networks but are identifying and dismantling their advanced physical and technological infrastructure, reflecting a broader regional effort to counter transnational [ … ]
In a relentless demonstration of multinational capability, the United States and Colombia executed Operation Tridente (Trident) in April, targeting key maritime smuggling routes in the Eastern Pacific and reinforcing a clear message: Narcoterrorist networks can no longer rely on maritime borders to escape justice. Coordinated by U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) [ … ]
Approximately $400 billion is laundered each year in Latin America through activities such as corruption, tax evasion, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the use of shell companies. Although efforts to combat money laundering has improved over the years, progress remains uneven across the region. Countries collectively still rank below the [ … ]
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