On September 11, 2001, then US President George W. Bush had just completed a historic summit with his Mexican counterpart, Vicente Fox, the week prior. The interaction built on the “special friendship” between the two nations and the intertwined commercial, security, and other strategic interests binding the United States and [ … ]
Recent News
Colombian Military Forces Destroy Cocaine Mega-lab of FARC Dissident Group
In mid-October, the Colombian Navy led a riverine operation, with the support of the Colombian Army and Air Force, in which they managed to locate and destroy a mega-lab with the capacity to produce more than 3,000 kilograms of cocaine per month. The complex, found in the Tumaco municipality, in [ … ]
Argentina Deals Blow to Narcotrafficking
The Argentine National Gendarmerie (GNA, in Spanish) and Naval Prefecture (PNA, in Spanish) seized 11,643 kilograms of marijuana and 2,610 kg of coca leaf October 9-16, 2021. On October 22, the GNA confirmed seizing 397 kg of marijuana in a truck carrying wooden logs near Tapebicuá, Corrientes province. A drug [ … ]
Argentina: Gendarmerie Seizes Two Narco-Aircraft
In two consecutive operations, the Argentine National Gendarmerie seized two narco-aircraft. In the first operation, on September 29, 2021, the gendarmes seized a twin-engine aircraft with a Uruguayan tail number from a hangar in the Argentine city of Concordia, Entre Ríos province. The seizure was made possible thanks to information [ … ]
Argentina Enhances Response Against Cyberattacks
The Argentine Armed Forces strengthened their knowledge in denial of service, antivirus neutralization, and confidential data propagation, during the Cyber Dawg 2021 exercise that took place in the United States in late September. Some 20 U.S. state organizations, members of the Georgia National Guard, and Argentine service members — united [ … ]
US Helps Ecuador to Counter Common Threats
On September 14, 2021, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and the Ecuadorian Ministry of Defense signed a memorandum of understanding for timely information exchange to strengthen the fight against narcotrafficking and provide humanitarian assistance, search and rescue, and relief to victims in cases of disasters, the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador indicated. [ … ]
Ecuador Counters Illegal Fishing with Help from Canada, US
The Canadian and U.S. governments are supporting Ecuador’s efforts to counter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, by improving the monitoring and preservation of the region’s ecosystems. On September 13, 2021, Ecuador and Canada announced in Quito a cooperation agreement to use satellites to detect and track in real time [ … ]
Argentine Air Force Incorporates US Aircraft in Its Fleet
The Argentine Air Force (FAA, in Spanish) incorporated its first Beechcraft TC-12B Huron aircraft, which it acquired through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Excess Defense Articles program, the Argentine government said in a September 16, 2021 statement. “This is the first of 12 units that we are going to incorporate, [ … ]
Brazil Delivers More Donations and Humanitarian Aid to Haiti
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB, in Portuguese) carried out another humanitarian aid mission to Haiti and sent five tons of food, medicines, solar panels, and water purifiers aboard a KC-390 Millennium aircraft that took off on September 11, 2021. The operation was part of a joint effort by the ministries [ … ]
Seven Nations, One Goal, Region Stability
Supporting U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) lines of effort of strengthening partnerships, countering threats, and building teams, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) began its English Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Professional Development course on September 20. The class has 12 students, representatives of Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, [ … ]
US Southern Command Commander Visits Brazil’s Peace Operations Joint Training Center
U.S. Navy Admiral Craig S. Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), visited Brazil’s Peace Operations Joint Training Center (CCOPAB, in Portuguese), in Rio de Janeiro, on September 23, 2021, accompanied by U.S. Consul General in Brazil Jacqueline Ward, as well as other civilian and military authorities. The objective of [ … ]
Iran in Latin America: Malign Alliances, “Super Spreaders,” and Alternative Narratives
Executive Summary Iran’s ability to shape the information environment and spread the narrative of the United States as an imperialist force—perpetrating violence and instability in Latin America—has grown in recent years. These ongoing and multifaceted campaigns of disinformation and care- fully curated messages are coordinated with Russian and Venezuelan state [ … ]