REGIONAL NEWS - Dialogo forum Breaking News From South America the Caribbean

U.S. Sanctions Salvadoran MS-13 Gang Leaders

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned six leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, one of the most dangerous gangs in the world, on June 5.

Honduras Suspends 1,400 Police Officers for Suspected Corruption

The Honduran government indefinitely suspended 1,400 police agents from the Office of Criminal Investigation on June 5, in order to conduct trust tests as part of a purification process on police forces that started two years ago, an official source reported.

Drug Smuggling Gang Detained in Brazil

The Brazilian Police dismantled a drug trafficking and money laundering gang based in Brazil, which had links to Portugal and Colombia, and smuggled cocaine to Europe hidden in frozen fish, the prosecution said on June 4.

Four Colombian Guards, One Inmate Die in FARC Ambush

Colombian authorities reported that four Colombian prison guards and an inmate died on June 4 in an “ambush” on a truck where three prisoners were being transported to a court hearing in the south of Colombia by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Nicaragua Monitors Volcano for Increased Seismic Activity

Nicaragua is monitoring the activity of Cerro Negro volcano in the northeast of the country after an increase in its seismic activity, and called for tourists and neighbors to avoid climbing its slopes, an official source informed on June 4.

Chile Lowers Copahue Volcano Alert and Allows Evacuees to Return

On June 3, the Chilean National Emergency Office (ONEMI) lowered the alert of a possible eruption of Copahue volcano, located on the border with Argentina, due to a decrease in seismic activity, and notified the evacuees that they can return home.

Honduran Armed Forces Act with Transparency and Open Door Policy

It has been a long, arduous struggle, but the Honduran Armed Forces have coordinated their efforts with all institutions in charge of preserving the state of law and order in the country.

U.S. Might Support Colombia NATO Bid

The United States might support a bid by Colombia for NATO membership just as it has backed the close Latin American ally in other international fora, a senior State Department official said on June 3.

EPP: Combining Kidnappings and Crime

The murder of well-known Paraguayan rancher Luis Lindstrom, a cattle breeder and exporter killed by the self-defined Paraguayan People’s Army or EPP for its Spanish name, on May 31, stirred the country, the first in the Atlantic region to record an armed insurgency in decades.

U.S. Military Strengthens Ties with Caribbean Nations During Live-Fire Exercise at Sea

Uniformed service members and maritime police officers from four partner nations bolstered their maritime enforcement capabilities in a live-fire gunnery exercise off the coast of Saint Lucia during Tradewinds 2013 on May 25.

US slaps sanctions on suspected drug traffickers

The United States designated six individuals and groups, including a prominent steroids dealer, for sanctions on May 31, freezing their US assets and barring trade with Americans.

Bogotá NGO: Colombian Kidnappings Fall to Lowest Level in 10 Years

The incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has dropped to the lowest level in a decade, according to figures released by the nonprofit group Fundación País Libre.

Ecuador to Extradite FARC Leader to Colombia

The Ecuadorean Supreme Court of Justice (CNJ) reported on May 30 that it had ordered the extradition to Colombia Jhon Faber Capera Tique, aka “Dumar”, who was considered by Bogotá to be the commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and whose extradition had been requested by...

Gangster Attacks Create Terror during “Run for Peace”

According to a well-known military saying, “the price of freedom is constant surveillance.” The Run for Peace, held in late May from Rio de Janeiro’s Complexo da Penha to neighboring Complexo do Alemão, was originally an initiative of the Brazilian Peacekeeping Force.

Jamaica Sees Jump in Cocaine Seizures Since Dudus Extradition in 2010

Jamaican officials are reporting an upsurge in confiscations of cocaine and other narcotics, three years after an attempt to capture drug kingpin Christopher “Dudus” Coke left 74 people dead on the streets of Kingston.

Uruguay Beefs Up Border Security in Advance of Sporting Events in Brazil

With the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil planned for June, the World Cup for 2014 and the Summer Olympics for 2016, military officials in Uruguay —— which shares a 1,068-mile land border with Brazil — are taking no chances.

Argentine prosecutor accuses Iran of terror plots

A top Argentine prosecutor formally accused Iran on May 29 of opening secret intelligence stations in several South American countries to plan and conduct terror attacks.

Salvadoran Gangs Hope to Serve as Inspiration

On May 29, in a ceremony that declared the tenth city in the country free of violence, Salvadoran gangs Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 stated that they hoped to be an inspiration to other nations in the region.

Brazil to Help Haiti Train New Engineers

Brazil is expected to help Haiti train engineers, enabling them to prepare and implement projects aiming to contribute to the development of their country. The offer by Defense Minister Celso Amorim was made on May 20 to Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Salvador Lamothe, during a meeting at the Min...

ELN Rebels Confirm Colombian Soldier’s Capture

The National Liberation Army (ELN) confirmed on May 28 that it was holding a Colombian Soldier captured in an attack last week that killed 11 other government troops.

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