U.N. Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet warns that increasingly repressive measures by the Nicaraguan government against its political opponents are undermining prospects for free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections in November. Bachelet’s warning came as she submitted her report to the U.N. Human Rights Council on June 22. Nicaragua [ … ]
Recent News
JTF-Bravo Leadership Visits Partner Nation Military
U.S. Army Colonel Steven Gventer, commander of Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo), Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, and members of the task force, met with Major General Tito Livio Moreno Coello, Honduran Armed Forces chief of Staff, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 9, to discuss the long-standing U.S. and Honduran partnership. [ … ]
A Historic Fight with Historic Results
Colombia has confronted the global problem of drugs throughout its history, as it became the main threat to public order, to the country’s political stability, to national security, and to the rule of law itself. For more than 40 years, the fight against this scourge has been relentless, and we [ … ]
Regional Cooperation in Central America to Address Natural and Human Emergencies
“The Americas are a top priority for us and the U.S. government […]. We want to continue to be your most trusted partner. We are so interconnected — geographically, historically, and culturally,” U.S. Navy Admiral Craig S. Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), told defense ministers, chiefs of Staff, [ … ]
Colombian Defense Attaché Promotes Bilateral Cooperation with the US
Diálogo interviewed Colombian Army Major General Javier Alonso Díaz Gómez, Colombia’s Defense attaché to the United States, who recently visited U.S. Southern Command’s facilities in Florida. Diálogo: How important is it for the Colombian Military Forces to have a Defense attaché in the United States? Colombian Army Major General Javier [ … ]
IADB-Sponsored Conference Discusses the Role of Women in the Military
The Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) held the conference “Women, Peace and Security (WPS),” on June 16, 2021. The objective was to disseminate successful experiences and lessons learned regarding gender integration in the armed forces and security forces, particularly in peacekeeping, military, and security operations, and education, recruitment, and development of [ … ]
Brazilian Navy Seizes More than 4 Tons of Hashish
A sailboat carrying hashish was intercepted more than 360 kilometers off the coast of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, by a Brazilian Navy (MB, in Portuguese) ship, on June 16, 2021. The interagency operation between the MB and the Brazilian Federal Police (PF, in Portuguese) resulted in the seizure of more than [ … ]
Colombian Army Trains at JRTC, Conducts Staff Talks with Army South
The U.S. Army can trace its history training with the Colombian Army to more than 60 years, when U.S. Army Ranger officers developed the Lancero training program for the Colombian Army in the mid-1950s. Since that time, the initiative has resulted in one of the longest one-on-one professional military relationships [ … ]
Strong Institutions Are the Antidote to Disinformation
It is commonly understood that the internet age has meant a significant shift in how citizens get their information, and that the social media era has generated more opportunity for disinformation and misinformation to flourish. While this may be true, it overlooks that the same opportunity bad actors exploit is [ … ]
Ecuador Joins SOUTHCOM with Partner Nation Military Advisor
Ecuador has joined the Partner Nation Military Advisor (PNMA) program at U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). Army Colonel Juan Xavier Riofrío Játiva assumed the post in March 2021. Col. Riofrío, a native of Quito with 35 years of military service, is one of the 11 military advisors in the PNMA, a [ … ]
Colombia, Brazil Prevent FARC Dissidents from Getting Drug Trafficking Money
The Colombian Navy, together with Brazilian authorities, strengthened their anti-narcotics operations in border areas, preventing criminal groups from receiving nearly $1.5 million in proceeds from the sale of drugs in Europe. Thanks to intelligence that the Colombian Navy provided to Brazil, anti-drug authorities raided a house on June 4, 2021, [ … ]
The Dangers of Potential Russian Counter-UAV Technology Exports to Latin America
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has proliferated globally, resulting in myriad uses, both military and civilian. With the steady rise in non-military uses comes the potential and dangers of this technology’s misuse. Presently, the Latin America (LATAM) region is home to major energy and extractive industries infrastructure, port, and [ … ]