Security & Cooperation Archives - Diálogo Américas

Georgia Guard Soldiers Train Alongside US, Panamanian Partners in Jungle Operations

High heat, constant humidity, heavy rainfall, dense vegetation, dangerous animals, and countless insects are what soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade faced while training alongside other U.S. service members and Panamanian security forces at the Combined Jungle Training Center-South in Panama from June 13 through July 3. “The moment I stepped off the bus at the…

September 03, 2026

Vice Minister Cruz: “Criminal Networks Are Dynamic and Agile in Their Communications; Governments Must Be as Well”

Guatemala is transforming its border security model to respond to increasingly dynamic and sophisticated transnational criminal networks. The country is moving from an approach focused primarily on interdiction toward a strategy based on intelligence, risk analysis, and anticipation, with greater coordination among security, customs, and immigration authorities, as well as new technological and analytical capabilities. In an exclusive interview with…

September 02, 2026

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

Minister Onofre: ‘The Challenges Know No Borders; Neither Should Our Response’

The Dominican Republic plays a key role in Caribbean security and in regional efforts to combat transnational organized crime. Its strategic location, maritime interdiction capabilities, and close cooperation with the United States and other allies have positioned the country as an important security partner in confronting criminal organizations that increasingly operate across borders, maritime routes, and international networks. Against this…

August 26, 2026

Minister Loffredo: ‘This Is the Time to Put an End to This Evil Once and for All’

The Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition is moving from planning to action. At its second meeting, held August 11-12 in Panama, defense and security officials from across the hemisphere analyzed transnational criminal threats, trafficking routes, and logistical networks and began identifying areas for joint action. Against this backdrop, Diálogo spoke with Ecuador’s Minister of National Defense Gian Carlo Loffredo about his country’s…

August 19, 2026

Guatemalan Soldiers, Arkansas National Guard Counterparts Build Interoperability

Guatemalan Army Special Forces and Arkansas National Guardsmen recently trained together at Fort Polk, Louisiana, during Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation 26-08 as part of the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program (SPP) between Arkansas and Guatemala. Arkansas and Guatemala were paired together 24 years ago through the SPP. Numerous exchanges occur annually that address training,…

August 14, 2026

UNITAS 2026: Preparing Together for Maritime Threats

The Peruvian Navy and U.S. naval forces are making final preparations for UNITAS LXVII, the world’s longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise, scheduled for September in Ancón, Salinas, and other locations throughout Peru. This year’s edition will expand its traditional scope to include maritime, amphibious, Amazon, cyber defense, and, for the first time, a lake phase on Lake Titicaca. The evolution…

August 14, 2026

PANAMAX 2026 Strengthens Multinational Medical Readiness in Panama

Medical teams from Panama’s Ministry of Health (MINSA), Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo), and the Missouri National Guard worked side by side during PANAMAX 2026 to strengthen medical readiness and interoperability while providing healthcare services to communities in Colón, Panama. The Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE), held August 4-7 at Altos de los Lagos School combined hands-on medical training with…

August 12, 2026

Brazil, Partner Nations Strengthen Security Against Transnational Crime Through Riverine Exercises

For decades, South America's great rivers were viewed primarily as commercial arteries and instruments of regional integration. Today, however, many of these waterways have become strategic corridors for drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. From the Amazon Basin to the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway, criminal organizations exploit the vast terrain, limited surveillance, and transnational nature of river systems to move drugs, weapons,…

August 11, 2026

Multinational Defense and Security Forces Demonstrate United Resolve during PANAMAX 2026

Multinational defense and security forces have ramped up operations in Panama and are fully integrated and training together during PANAMAX 2026. With a primary focus on safeguarding the Panama Canal, PANAMAX includes 19 partner nations exercising their collective capacity to maintain security and stability in the region while protecting the Western Hemisphere. The nerve center of PANAMAX 2026 lies at…

August 10, 2026

Panama, US Bolster Bilateral Readiness and Humanitarian Response during PANAMAX Alpha

Panama and the United States concluded the annual bilateral exercise PANAMAX Alpha on July 27, strengthening interoperability, humanitarian response capabilities, and operational coordination between the two partners. Conducted with support from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the exercise brought together personnel from Panama’s National Air and Naval Service (SENAN), and Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo) for humanitarian assistance missions, technical exchanges,…

August 07, 2026

Panama, US Inaugurate First of Several Bridges to Make Rural Communities Safer

More than 300 Panamanians in the rural community of Las Playitas will no longer face decades of isolation and danger following the inauguration of the first bridge built under a cooperation program between Panama and the United States. The initiative will improve connectivity in rural communities and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of families. The bridge, inaugurated in…

August 06, 2026

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Special Report

For decades, Ecuador was perceived as an exception in a region plagued by drug trafficking, armed violence, and criminal capture of the state. While neighboring countries faced open wars between cartels and state forces, Ecuador seemed to remain on the sidelines of these dynamics. That image began to slowly crack and finally collapsed in January […]

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