Get the latest security and defense stories from across the Americas.
Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to ongoing disaster relief efforts, the amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17) arrived pierside in La Guaira, Venezuela, on July 9. The San Antonio seamlessly relieved the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) as the primary maritime component center in support of the U.S. Department of State-led humanitarian assistance mission following the devastating June 24…
When ABC News reported the rescue of a dog and her puppies from the rubble of the earthquake that devastated Venezuela, the story seemed like one of many moving accounts to emerge from the tragedy. But the dog did more than lead rescuers to her puppies. Her persistent barking drew their attention to a section of the rubble, where they…
Over the past several decades, security in Latin America and the Caribbean has seen both progress and setbacks in the face of increasingly sophisticated threats. While some countries have made significant progress in reducing violence, others continue to face the expansion of illicit economies and transnational criminal organizations. In an exclusive interview with Diálogo, former Minister of Defense of Colombia…
Artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure are becoming increasingly important components of national security in Latin America. As government modernize public services and expand digital networks, concerns about cyberattacks, data protection, technological dependence, and the security of critical systems are moving closer to the center of national security planning. In response, several countries are expanding technology partnerships designed to…
The earthquake that struck northern Venezuela on June 24 triggered a broad mobilization of hemispheric humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) capabilities, with urban search and rescue teams, medical personnel, aircraft, search dogs, emergency supplies, communications specialists, and logistical support deployed from countries across the Americas. More than a collection of bilateral aid efforts, the operation demonstrated how advance preparation,…
Colombia’s department of Cauca remains one of the country’s most challenging security environments, where guerrilla factions born from the remnants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) continue to exploit coca-producing areas, strategic trafficking corridors, and difficult terrain despite sustained government security operations. The department sits at a critical nexus of drug trafficking routes, connecting Colombia’s interior with departure…
Venezuela is facing one of the greatest challenges in its recent history after two earthquakes measuring above magnitude 7 struck just seconds apart. As search-and-rescue operations continue, the disaster is testing not only a nation's ability to respond to a catastrophe of this scale but also how quickly regional and international partners can mobilize specialized teams, resources, and humanitarian assistance.…
As Venezuela transitions from the search and rescue phase to the long process of recovery following the devastating June earthquake, one of the greatest challenges is no longer delivering aid but coordinating the reconstruction effort effectively. The scale of the disaster underscores the magnitude of the task. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates direct physical damage at approximately $6.7…
Aircraft, crews, and support personnel from across the Americas are converging in northern Chile as Exercise Resolute Sentinel–Saltire 2026, a premier multinational air combat exercise hosted by the Chilean Air Force, kicked off June 28, 2026, at Cerro Moreno Air Base in Antofagasta, Chile. U.S. participation in the fifth iteration of Salitre is led by U.S. Air Forces Southern/12th Air…
Maritime corridors in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific have become one of the Western Hemisphere’s principal security frontiers. In addition to sustaining global trade and regional fishing industries, these routes now operate as logistical arteries for transnational organized crime involved in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, chemical precursor trafficking, and other illicit activities. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs…
The U.S. response to the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 represents one of Washington’s largest humanitarian and disaster relief operations. Led by the State Department’s Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response (DHR) and carried out in close coordination with the Department of War and U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the operation has combined search-and-rescue efforts, military logistics, and international…
In recent years, commercially available drones have transformed capabilities once largely associated with advanced militaries into accessible tools reshaping security dynamics across Latin America. Lower costs, rapid technological diffusion, and growing weaponization of commercial drones by non-state actors have turned these platforms into an increasingly important factor in regional security and defense. According to the Florida International University (FIU) and…
