Staff reporter at The Standing Army, covering Defence.
The Dominican Republic has emerged as a key operational partner in the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition and a regional leader in multinational efforts to dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
Criminal organizations are adapting their networks to extract and trade high-value minerals in the Amazon, posing a threat to global supply chains and regional security.
A combined effort between the US and Ecuadorian forces has disrupted criminal networks operating in the Eastern Pacific, targeting illicit offshore fuel supplies and high-tech command and control assets.
Ecuador has become a key transit point for synthetic drug shipments, posing new challenges for border security and international law enforcement cooperation.
Chinese money laundering networks have become a key financial engine for transnational organized crime in Latin America and the Caribbean, moving billions of dollars in illicit funds through informal value transfer systems, underground banking, international trade, and cryptocurrencies.
China has refused to sign an agreement aimed at improving efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The agreement, known as the Mombasa Declaration, was signed by several African countries and other nations during the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Kenya.
Brazil and its partner nations are strengthening their capabilities to combat transnational crime in riverine environments through multinational exercises and the integration of advanced surveillance technologies.
A recent medical readiness training exercise in Panama has strengthened the country's medical readiness and interoperability with international partners.
A multinational defense and security exercise, PANAMAX 2026, is underway in Panama, with 19 partner nations working together to maintain security and stability in the region.