Browsing: Spotlight Interviews

Coordinating Reconstruction: Lessons from Colombia’s Earthquake Recovery

Coordinating Reconstruction: Lessons from Colombia’s Earthquake Recovery

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.…

July 10, 2026
Gen. Reynoso: ‘Space is the New Frontier for our Armed Forces’

Gen. Reynoso: ‘Space is the New Frontier for our Armed Forces’

With nearly three decades of service in the Dominican Air Force and extensive experience in joint operations, intelligence, and international cooperation, Brigadier General Jonás Reynoso Barrera, executive director of the National Antiterrorism Directorate (DNA), has played a key role in strengthening the country’s defense and security capabilities. His career includes serving as liaison officer to Joint Interagency Task Force South…

July 08, 2026
Inside PANAMAX 2026: Behind the Planning to Protect Critical Infrastructure

Inside PANAMAX 2026: Behind the Planning to Protect Critical Infrastructure

As the officer responsible for the planning and execution of PANAMAX 2026, Panama’s National Air and Naval Service (SENAN) Commissioner Luis Rodríguez plays a key role in coordinating the exercise with Panamanian institutions and participating partner nations. Drawing on extensive experience in operational leadership and security coordination, Commissioner Rodríguez oversees efforts to integrate national and international capabilities in one of…

July 01, 2026
Organized Crime as a Strategic Threat to Democratic Governance in the Hemisphere

Organized Crime as a Strategic Threat to Democratic Governance in the Hemisphere

Organized crime has evolved from a public security challenge into a strategic threat to democratic governance in Latin America and the Caribbean. Driven by increasingly lucrative illicit markets, criminal organizations have expanded their influence over territories, economies, and institutions, eroding state authority and weakening democracies’ ability to respond. Such is the warning issued by Laura Chinchilla, former president of Costa…

June 24, 2026
Investing in Citizen Security: Common Solutions for Common Problems

Investing in Citizen Security: Common Solutions for Common Problems

In a context where organized crime affects numerous communities across Latin America, citizen security has become one of the population’s primary concerns. For Cristian Zamora, mayor of Cuenca, Ecuador, and president of the Latin American Federation of Cities, Municipalities, and Associations of Local Governments (FLACMA), strengthening citizen participation and community cohesion is a fundamental part of the solution. During the…

June 17, 2026
Radiological Security and Organized Crime: A New Challenge for the Hemisphere

Radiological Security and Organized Crime: A New Challenge for the Hemisphere

As Latin America expands the use of radiological materials in hospitals, research centers, agriculture, and energy infrastructure, radiological security is becoming an increasingly important component of the hemisphere’s security architecture. In an exclusive interview with Diálogo, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warns that the possible diversion or illicit use of nuclear and radiological materials…

June 10, 2026
Peru Bets on Sovereign Capabilities in the Space and Cyber Domains

Peru Bets on Sovereign Capabilities in the Space and Cyber Domains

With more than 30 years of service in the Peruvian Air Force, Major General Mariano Nieves Rodríguez Llerena now leads the country’s efforts in two of the most strategic and emerging domains of modern defense: space and cyberspace. Commander of the Peruvian Air Force Space and Cyberspace Command and a fighter pilot with extensive international cooperation experience, Maj. Gen. Rodríguez…

June 04, 2026
Argentina Reshapes Its Armed Forces for a New Era of Security Threats

Argentina Reshapes Its Armed Forces for a New Era of Security Threats

Argentina is undertaking one of its most significant defense transformations in decades, reshaping a doctrine historically centered on conventional conflicts to address transnational threats, critical infrastructure protection, cyber defense, and maritime surveillance. In this exclusive interview with Diálogo, Argentine Defense Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Presti outlines how the country is modernizing its Armed Forces to respond to an increasingly…

May 28, 2026
From Drug Trafficking Corridor to Key Player in Hemispheric Security, Guatemala Redefines Its Defense Strategy

From Drug Trafficking Corridor to Key Player in Hemispheric Security, Guatemala Redefines Its Defense Strategy

Guatemala is positioning itself as a strategic player in regional defense, taking a more assertive role in confronting the expansion of transnational organized crime and the growing threats facing hemispheric security. This was the assessment shared by Minister of National Defense Major General Henry David Sáenz, in an exclusive interview with Diálogo during the Florida International University (FIU) Hemispheric Security…

May 21, 2026
Iván Duque: Security in the Americas Requires Intelligence, Cooperation, and Shared Responsibility

Iván Duque: Security in the Americas Requires Intelligence, Cooperation, and Shared Responsibility

A key figure in the hemispheric debate on security, governance, and international cooperation, former Colombian president Iván Duque Márquez (2018–2022) has established himself as one of the most influential voices in the region in addressing the challenges of organized crime and transnational threats. During his administration, he promoted initiatives to strengthen state capabilities and coordination with international partners in an…

May 11, 2026
Minister Ábrego on Panama’s Role in Regional Security and Counter-Narco-Terrorism Efforts

Minister Ábrego on Panama’s Role in Regional Security and Counter-Narco-Terrorism Efforts

Under the leadership of Minister of Public Security Frank Ábrego, Panama has strengthened its role as a key partner in regional security. The country has intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking, curb irregular migration through the Darién region, and safeguard strategic infrastructure such as the Panama Canal. These efforts have been supported by close collaboration with the United States and…

March 30, 2026
Paraguay Consolidates Its Role as a Strategic Partner in the Region

Paraguay Consolidates Its Role as a Strategic Partner in the Region

Army Colonel Lorenzo Agustín Cabrera Burgos is a senior officer in the Paraguayan Armed Forces with extensive experience in international operations, military education, and multinational cooperation. A graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, he has developed a career marked by operational leadership and institutional strengthening, including United Nations peacekeeping missions in Cyprus and roles as…

March 23, 2026