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As a rescue firefighter, she feels very proud to wear her uniform and represent the Guatemalan Army’s Humanitarian Rescue Battalion. She feels committed to giving her all and accomplishing her mission, since her greatest satisfaction as a rescuer is saving lives and mitigating the effects of disasters. This is Master Sergeant Berta Leonor Alemán Chajchic, a strong-willed woman who always…
During Independence Day festivities in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, little Wendy watched as the students of the Instituto Adolfo V. Hall de Occidente (a military secondary school), wore their dress uniforms and marched with great discipline. From that moment on, her interest in military life grew. When she would accompany her father on his business trips to Guatemala City, she would see…
Doctor Carla Lyrio Martins is the first woman to rise to the rank of general officer in the Brazilian Air Force (FAB, in Portuguese). She was promoted to brigadier general on November 25, 2020. Born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brig. Gen. Carla Lyrio is married with two children, and is the current director of the Central Aeronautic Hospital, in…
In 1978, armed commandos of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) attacked Israeli citizens, causing many deaths, and leaving many injured. In response to these criminal acts, the Israel Defense Forces invaded Lebanon to counterattack PLO strongholds, whose members were taking refuge and had operational bases in the southern part of the country. The situation posed a serious threat to the…
Interview with Army General César Augusto Astudillo Salcedo, commander of the Peruvian Armed Forces’ Joint Command. Diálogo: How has the coronavirus pandemic affected the activities of illicit trafficking? Are there any new illicit routes in your country? Army General César Augusto Astudillo Salcedo, commander of the Peruvian Armed Forces’ Joint Command: Narcotrafficking activities were hit at the beginning of the pandemic…
Master Chief Petty Officer Class One Audrey Christie was the first female to be appointed Force Sergeant Major (FSM) in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), on August 1, 2020. During her military career, Master Chief Petty Officer Christie attended and completed several courses, including the Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Professional Development course at the NCO Academy of the Western Hemisphere Institute…
In late January 2020, upon bidding farewell to faculty and students of the Brazilian Air Force Academy, where he acted as commandant, Major General David Almeida Alcoforado knew that it also meant saying goodbye to his country, as he was about to assume the role of deputy director of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (J5) at U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). Maj.…
Since taking up the reins of government, President Iván Duque has established among his priorities a head-on fight against narcotrafficking, against all the links in the criminal chain that are a source of financing for illegal organizations that bring violence and destruction to Colombian territories. As the president has explained, this is a constitutional and moral obligation, because putting an…
Diálogo interviewed Guatemalan Defense Minister General Juan Carlos Alemán Soto. Diálogo: How has the pandemic affected illicit trafficking activities? Are there any new illicit routes in your country? Guatemalan Defense Minister General Juan Carlos Alemán Soto:During the current pandemic in Guatemala we have seen a reduction in narcotrafficking activities; however, there have been brief periods of operational intensity, as in the…
Costa Rican Ministry of Public Security Michael Soto Rojas took part in the Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC) 2020, which was held virtually for the first time, on July 14. Diálogo spoke with Minister Soto about the conference and Costa Rica’s role in the fight against narcotrafficking. Diálogo: What is the importance of Costa Rica’s participation in CENTSEC? Costa Rican Ministry…
On April 1, the United States announced enhanced counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea to combat the flow of illicit drugs into the U.S. by malign actors taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. President Donald Trump made the announcement together with Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, and Admiral Karl L. Schultz, 26th commandant…
General Ramsés Rueda Rueda, commander of the Colombian Air Force (FAC, in Spanish), spoke with Diálogo during his visit to Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-South) at the Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. Diálogo: What has the evolution of FAC capabilities been like in the fight against narcotrafficking? General Ramsés Rueda Rueda, commander of the Colombian Air Force: The…
