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As of January 9, 2019, the Brazilian Navy (MB, in Portuguese) has a new commanding general. When Admiral Ilques Barbosa Junior assumed his new duties, he said training of personnel was his main priority. At the time, Adm. Ilques emphasized the importance of carrying on current activities and the need to improve the ongoing interaction between the forces. From his…
To create more opportunities for knowledge exchange and combined training between Brazilian and U.S. Marines is the main objective of a five-year plan representatives from both forces, Brazilian Navy (MB, in Portuguese) Major General Nélio de Almeida, commander of the Marine Corps’ (CFN, in Portuguese) Doctrinal Development and president of the force’s Veterans Association, and Major General Michael F. Fahey…
The Belize Coast Guard modernized its force with new technology, assets, and training. The Belize Coast Guard is responsible for maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, hurricane response preparation, and disaster relief, among other duties. The Coast Guard was part of the Belize Defence Force, but in 2005 became part of one of the three branches of Belize’s national security…
Around-the-clock multinational counter drug missions impact transnational criminal organizations. The Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa, located at the Salvadoran Air Base of the same name, provides 24/7 logistics, security, and infrastructure support to partner nation and U.S. aircraft in their international counter narcotrafficking operations. The United States and the Salvadoran government signed a cooperative 10-year agreement in March 2000, since…
The Colombian Military Forces’ Joint Special Operations Command focuses on high strategic value targets with the best operational and intelligence capabilities in the country. The Colombian Military Forces’ Joint Special Operations Command (CCOES, in Spanish) conducts operations under the motto, “Special people to complete special missions.” Army Major General Jorge Arturo Salgado Restrepo, CCOES's commander until December 2018, praised the…
U.S. Special Operations Command South, a SOUTHCOM component, works to find and counter threats to the Western Hemisphere. Diálogo spoke with U.S. Army Brigadier General Antonio Fletcher, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH), which leads all special operations forces in Latin America and the Caribbean. Diálogo: What is SOCSOUTH’s mission and how does it fit into broader U.S.…
Diálogo spoke with Peruvian Army General Jorge Orlando Céliz Kuong during his first official visit to the United States as commander of the Peruvian Army. Peruvian Army General Jorge Orlando Céliz Kuong assumed command of the institution in November 2018, with the important mission of turning it into a multi-mission force. In February 2019, Major General Mark Stammer, U.S. Army…
The military unit of amphibious commandos is based in Rio de Janeiro, but takes part in operations across the country. The Tonelero Battalion is the Brazilian Marine Corps special operations unit. Its troops are specifically trained to execute and plan special operations. Diálogo talked to Marine Corps Colonel Stewart da Paixão Gomes, Tonelero Battalion commander, about the Brazilian military elite…
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force works with local and regional agencies to achieve regional stability. Commodore Tellis Bethel, chief of Defence Staff of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), recognizes the importance of providing security and stability in his country. Thousands of tourists flock yearly to the crystal, white sand and blue waters of the country’s tropical beaches, but the…
The United States should not rule out Russian military involvement in Venezuela, according to the new head of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). Speaking exclusively in his first in-depth interview since taking command, U.S. Navy Admiral Craig Faller told Voice of America (VOA) that Russia was acting like a “wounded, declining bear that’s just lashing out” against democratic interests in the…
The Dominican Armed Forces are committed to combatting transnational crime to maintain regional stability Combined and joint work to achieve regional security is important, said Dominican Army Major General Braulio Alcántara López, vice minister of Defense for Military Affairs of the Dominican Republic, during the 2018 Caribbean Nations Security Conference (CANSEC), held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, December…
The unit adapted to respond to national and international naval special operations. The Brazilian Navy’s (MB, in Portuguese) Combat Divers’ Group (GRUMEC, in Portuguese) was created in 1964, and gradually evolved while combining two different operational concepts: the U.S., based on beach obstacle demolition to support amphibious operations, and the French, focused on operations to sabotage enemy vessels. This led…
