Desafíos Para La Seguridad Y La Defensa En El Continente

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Desafíos Para La Seguridad Y La Defensa En El Continente JOSÉ GUSTAVO AROCHA “La década 2020-2030 que comienza, sin duda, quedará marcada por el sello de una pandemia que CRAIG A. DEARE lamentablemente ha dejado miles de muertes y que DESAFÍOS PARA LA SEGURIDAD Y LA DEFENSA Y LA DEFENSA LA SEGURIDAD PARA DESAFÍOS también agudizará la pobreza y la desigualdad, que AMERICANO 20 EN EL CONTINENTE DESAFÍOS PARA MARIO DUARTE son factores estructurales detrás de problemas como el narcotráfico, la violencia de las pandillas y las olas LA SEGURIDAD Y LA DEFENSA EVAN ELLIS migratorias que cruzan todo el continente. A ello se suman enormes desafíos como el cambio climático EN EL CONTINENTE AMERICANO ROSENDO FRAGA y la presencia de actores extrarregionales con agen- das disruptivas. 2020-2030 JOHN GRIFFITHS SPIELMAN ¿Cuál será el rol que tendrán las fuerzas armadas de la región en este escenario? Esa es justamente la ATHANASIOS HRISTOULAS reflexión que este libro del centro de estudios AthenaLab busca oportunamente recoger, invitan- JOSEPH HUMIRE do a expertos de distintos países en este propósito. Mis más de tres décadas en el mundo militar me MARIANA KALIL enseñaron que si las fuerzas armadas quieren ser exitosas en entornos complejos, como los actuales, AGUSTÍN MACIEL-PADILLA deben ser flexibles, abiertas y siempre estar pensan- do un paso más adelante”. 20-2030 JUAN CARLOS PINZÓN John Grifths Spielman Almirante USN (r) James Stavridis Juan Pablo Toro JOSÉ ROBLES MONTOYA editores THIAGO RODRIGUES JAMES STAVRIDIS JUAN PABLO TORO DESAFÍOS PARA LA SEGURIDAD Y LA DEFENSA EN EL CONTINENTE AMERICANO 2020-2030 Desafíos para la seguridad y la defensa en el continente americano 2020-2030 John Griffiths Spielman y Juan Pablo Toro (eds.) ATHENALAB Av. El Golf 40, Piso 12, Las Condes https://athenalab.org [email protected] © AthenaLab ISBN: 978-956-9058-42-4 Diseño y diagramación: María Soledad Sairafi [email protected] Santiago de Chile, diciembre de 2020 DESAFÍOS PARA LA SEGURIDAD Y LA DEFENSA EN EL CONTINENTE AMERICANO 2020-2030 John Grifths Spielman Juan Pablo Toro EDITORES ÍNDICE 9 Prefacio James Stavridis 13 Introducción: Desafíos para la seguridad y defensa en la década 2020-2030 John Griffiths & Juan Pablo Toro AMÉRICA DEL NORTE 19 Las Fuerzas Armadas Canadienses en un mundo cambiante al 2030 Athanasios Hristoulas 51 La agenda de defensa de Estados Unidos para la próxima década: El papel de la fuerza militar Craig A. Deare 81 El reto de la agenda de defensa de México: La ausencia de un enfoque integral de seguridad nacional Agustín Maciel-Padilla AMÉRICA CENTRAL 107 Fuerzas armadas de Centroamérica: nuevas amenazas a la soberanía Mario A. Duarte García AMÉRICA DEL SUR 133 Escenario de defensa de Argentina 2030. Prioridad: el Atlántico Sur Rosendo Fraga 149 Situación de la Seguridad y Defensa de Brasil para la década de 2020- 2030 Thiago Rodrigues & Mariana Kalil 173 Visión de la defensa nacional de Chile al 2030 John Griffiths Spielman 201 Reflexiones sobre la modernización y el futuro de las Fuerzas Armadas de Colombia: visión 2030 Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno 233 La agenda de defensa de Perú para la próxima década: El papel de la fuerza militar José H. Robles Montoya 253 ¿Cuál es el rol de las Fuerzas Armadas en Venezuela? Joseph M. Humire & José Gustavo Arocha EPÍLOGO 275 Retos de las Fuerzas Armadas de Latinoamérica para responder a la pandemia del covid-19 Evan Ellis 317 Autores de la presente obra 319 Agradecimientos PREFACIO James Stavridis A lo largo de mi carrera en la Armada de Estados Unidos, una de las posiciones más interesantes que me tocó ejercer fue la de jefe del Comando Sur, que se encarga de todas las operaciones militares en Centroamérica, el Caribe y Sudamérica. Gracias a ella pude conocer gran parte de un continente bendecido por una extraordinaria riqueza de recursos naturales, así como por paisajes sorprendentes y personas que representan diversas cultu- ras al mismo tiempo. Se trata de una región, además, donde la guerra entre Esta- dos parece altamente improbable. Pero ese entorno regional, en apariencia pacífico, no nos puede llevar a engaño. Son muchos los desafíos que enfrenta nuestro hemisferio en materia de segu- ridad; la mayoría compartidos, dado nuestros fuertes vínculos históricos, geográficos, políticos, económicos y demográficos. En esta casa común llamada América, cada día somos más depen- dientes los unos de los otros. La década 2020-2030 que comienza, sin duda, quedará mar- cada por el sello de una pandemia que lamentablemente ha de- jado miles de muertes y que también agudizará la pobreza y la desigualdad, que son factores estructurales detrás de problemas como el narcotráfico, la violencia de las pandillas y las olas mi- gratorias que cruzan todo el continente. A ello se suman enormes JAMES STAVRIDIS | ! desafíos, como el cambio climático y la presencia de actores ex- trarregionales con agendas disruptivas. ¿Cuál será el rol que tendrán las fuerzas armadas de la región en este escenario? Esa es justamente la reflexión que este libro del centro de estudios AthenaLab busca oportunamente recoger, invitando a expertos de distintos países en este propósito. Mis más de tres décadas en el mundo militar me enseñaron que si las fuerzas armadas quieren ser exitosas en entornos complejos —como los actuales— deben ser flexibles, abiertas y siempre es- tar pensando un paso más adelante. También mi experiencia en el Comando Sur, entre 2006- 2009, me permitió conocer directamente a los Ejércitos, Arma- das y Fuerzas Aéreas de muchos de sus países, ya que juntos rea- lizamos entrenamientos y ejercicios, operaciones antinarcóticos, respondimos a crisis humanitarias y llevamos adelante misiones médicas. Es evidente que las capacidades, tamaños, equipos y tradiciones no son las mismas. Sin embargo, tenemos amenazas comunes que nos están impi- diendo desarrollar todo el potencial de nuestras sociedades. Vivi- mos en una era peligrosa, guiada por un avance tecnológico sin precedentes, donde la globalización permite potenciar a actores radicales que intentan presionar a las democracias a través de tácticas criminales y terroristas. En este sentido, cada nación se vuelve más importante para enfrentar los desafíos que depara la nueva década. Por eso, considero muy importante que se conozca cómo los distintos países avizoran el rol de sus fuerzas armadas en los próximos años. Cómo resolverán tareas que incluyen, en algu- nos casos, cooperar con aliados ante amenazas transnacionales; proteger recursos naturales en mares y selvas; ayudar a los ciu- dadanos en caso de catástrofes naturales o provocadas por el ser humano, y colaborar con las policías en el marco de procesos interagenciales. "# | PREFACIO Espero que estos artículos que se han escrito sobre Argentina, Brasil, Canadá, Colombia, Chile, Centroamérica, Estados Uni- dos, México, Perú y Venezuela sirvan para entendernos mejor y tender puentes entre nuestras Fuerzas Armadas, que son vitales para cuidar esta casa común de las Américas, donde comparti- mos intereses, valores y metas. Si las amenazas a nuestra segu- ridad, prosperidad y estabilidad evolucionan, también tenemos que hacerlo nosotros, como una familia unida por un destino compartido. Y por sobre todo, debemos navegar juntos, en una sociedad, en América. JAMES STAVRIDIS | "" INTRODUCCIÓN: DESAFÍOS PARA LA SEGURIDAD Y DEFENSA EN LA DÉCADA 2020-2030 John Griffiths Juan Pablo Toro El inicio de la década 2020-2030 quedará marcado de forma indeleble por los efectos de la pandemia de covid-19, que ha cau- sado cientos de miles de muertos y ha generado una severa crisis económica en el mundo. La crisis sanitaria incluso tiene hoy al continente americano convertido en su epicentro. Para enfrentar la emergencia, muchos países han tenido que desplegar sus fuer- zas armadas en distintas tareas, que incluyen ayudar a contro- lar cuarentenas, proteger fronteras, distribuir insumos médicos, trasladar pacientes críticos y prestar sus capacidades hospitalarias a los servicios nacionales de salud. Si bien las pandemias no son un fenómeno nuevo, y varios ejércitos de la región se han movilizado en el pasado reciente para ayudar a frenar la propagación del cólera o del virus del Zika —como ha ocurrido también con los desastres naturales—, la necesidad de hacer frente a este nuevo coronavirus ha puesto en evidencia que hoy se impone un espectro amplio del uso de las fuerzas militares en ámbitos que no tienen que ver con lo bélico. JOHN GRIFFITHS & JUAN PABLO TORO | "$ En particular en América Latina, donde la consolidación es- tatal es muy dispar, las poblaciones se dan cuentan de que no tienen otras instituciones mejor organizadas y preparadas para desplegarse rápidamente por el territorio y por eso recurren a ellas. Así es como los militares van sumando y sumando misiones de naturaleza social, que las alejan progresivamente de su propó- sito original de ganar la guerra y garantizar la paz. Ya en varios países están cumpliendo un rol policial sostenido frente a com- plejas realidades de tipo criminal. ¿Pero si hoy hacen de todo, podrán cumplir bien con sus numerosas misiones? ¿Qué nuevos escenarios demandarán la participación de los militares en esta década que comienza? ¿Con qué equipos o entrenamiento debe- rán contar? Estimamos en AthenaLab que para reflexionar sobre estas inte- rrogantes era propicia la Cumbre de Ministros de Defensa de las Américas que se celebró en Chile este 2020. El propósito original de este libro es justamente aportar con miradas y experiencias de destacados expertos de Argentina, Brasil, Canadá, Centroaméri- ca, Chile, Colombia, Estados
Recommended publications
  • U.S. Indictment of Top Venezuelan Officials
    INSIGHTi U.S. Indictment of Top Venezuelan Officials April 2, 2020 On March 26, 2020, Attorney General William Barr announced the indictment of Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro (whom the United States does not recognize as Venezuela’s legitimate president), and other current and former high-ranking Venezuelan officials. As charged, Maduro allegedly participated in the Cartel of the Suns drug trafficking organization in conspiracy with the Colombian terrorist organization, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), to produce and traffic illicit drugs to the United States. Maduro’s indictment marks an escalation in U.S. efforts since January 2019 to compel him to leave office so that a transition government can convene free and fair elections. Although Congress largely has supported sanctions on the Maduro government, these indictments occur as some Members are asking the Administration to temporarily ease sanctions due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background The Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) indictments outline federal charges against 18 individuals: 15 current and former Venezuelan officials (see Figure 1), 2 Colombian FARC leaders, and a Venezuelan businessman. The charges (links to indictments follow), reach across Venezuela’s highest government offices, including the presidency and vice presidency; supreme court; national constituent assembly; ministry of defense, including national guard, armed forces, and military intelligence; ministry of energy; cryptocurrency supervisory body; and national drug control agency. The nature of the crimes alleged include violations of U.S. laws (links to U.S. code provisions follow) related to narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, sanctions evasion, and conspiracy to defraud the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Corruption and Crisis in Venezuela: Asset Repatriation for Humanitarian Relief
    CORRUPTION AND CRISIS IN VENEZUELA: ASSET REPATRIATION FOR HUMANITARIAN RELIEF Policy Options and Considerations A Policy Brief from the Inter-American Dialogue’s Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program SEPTEMBER 2020 © 2020, Inter-American Dialogue. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - No Derivatives License. To view this license, visit (www. creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0). For re-use or distribution, please include this copyright notice. First Edition. Printed in Washington, DC. Cover photo: UNICEF/2018/Moreno / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 Layout: Catharine Christie / Inter-American Dialogue REPORT | SEPTEMBER 2020 CORRUPTION AND CRISIS IN VENEZUELA: ASSET REPATRIATION FOR HUMANITARIAN RELIEF Policy Options and Considerations A Policy Brief from the Inter-American Dialogue’s Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program SEPTEMBER 2020 Corruption and Crisis in Venezuela: Asset Repatriation for Humanitarian Relief 3 Foreword The Inter-American Dialogue is pleased to present Corruption and Crisis in Venezuela: Asset Repatriation for Humanitarian Relief. This groundbreaking report is the culmination of over a year of research by the Dialogue’s Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program. Against the backdrop of the ongoing institutional breakdown and humanitarian emergency in Venezuela, the report analyzes one of the salient features of contemporary Venezuela—industrial scale corruption—and presents detailed proposals for repatriating potentially billions of dollars of stolen assets for the benefit of the Venezuelan people. The policy options and recommendations offered in the report are based on careful legal analysis, comparative case studies, and a detailed grasp of the complexity of the political situation in Venezuela and the intricacies of US policy.
    [Show full text]
  • Spy Drama, Foiled Venezuela Coup
    Woman with Florida ties tangled up in spy-vs.-spy drama, foiled Venezuela coup BY ANTONIO MARÍA DELGADO, KEVIN G. HALL, AND SHIRSHO DASGUPTA ​ ​ ​ ​ DECEMBER 14, 2020 08:30 AM, UPDATED DECEMBER 18, 2020 02:48 PM URL: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/article247781875.html ​ The Maduro regime in Venezuela wants her extradited to face justice for a failed coup hatched in South Florida. The Colombian government accuses her of being in cahoots with narcoterrorists and her family describes Yacsy Alexandra Álvarez Mirabel as a nerdy marketing specialist caught up in events much larger than she ever could have imagined. Álvarez is a mysterious, little-known player in the coup attempt, led by former U.S. special operations soldier Jordan Goudreau and his Florida security company Silvercorp USA, that sought to topple Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Confounding details of the escapade are just now trickling out, months after it failed, leaving two ex-U.S. soldiers captured and jailed in Venezuela. Álvarez, who owned a modest condo in ​ ​ Tampa and incorporated a company there in April 2017, gave an exclusive telephone interview from her jail in Colombia, proclaiming her innocence. “I am not a terrorist. I don’t have anything to do with weapons, nor with military people. I am a humanist. I believe in human beings. I believe very much in God,” she said. In video messages made months before her arrest in Colombia and obtained exclusively by the Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald and their parent McClatchy, Álvarez insisted the Colombian government knew of the planned May coup, known as Operation Gideon.
    [Show full text]
  • The United States Should End Its Economic Sanctions Against Venezuela
    January 2020 Advanced Public Forum Brief 2 Resolved: The United States should end its economic sanctions against Venezuela. This topic brief was written by Jesse Meyer. Jesse is a diamond coach, recipient of the Donald Crabtree Service Award, the state of Iowa’s 2015 Coach of the Year, member of the TOC’s PF advisory board, and board member of the Iowa Forensics League. He is currently an assistant coach at Iowa City West High School. He can be reached at [email protected]. National Speech & Debate Association • Public Forum Debate: JANUARY 2020 ADVANCED BRIEF January 2020 Advanced Public Forum Brief 3 Table of Contents Contents Advanced PF Brief January 2020 ................................................................................................................... 1 Resolved: The United States should end its economic sanctions against Venezuela. .................................. 2 Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Framework and Definitions ................................................................................................................... 9 Civilians .................................................................................................................................................... 13 Sample Evidence .................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Venezuela: a Dying Country by Robert Knotts
    Venezuela: A Dying Country By Robert Knotts Introduction While the world rightfully remains focused on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the already failing state of Venezuela approaches an even more harrowing time, which has been largely unnoticed by the global community. Already labeled a failed country by many, it seems unlikely that the current Venezuelan leadership can survive the COVID-19 crisis and emerge unscathed, although they will continue to attempt to consolidate power. As the military is assigned even more control over daily activities, the future of Venezuela remains murky. However, until a change in government, voluntarily or forced, Venezuela and its beleaguered population seem destined for more misery. Why does all this matter and why should the rest of the world care about what happens on the north coast of South America? First and foremost is the human tragedy that is unfolding in Venezuela, which will undoubtedly be magnified by COVID-19. A second major concern is the instability and insecurity that Venezuela is fomenting throughout the region. Finally, the failure of Venezuela will eventually have a global impact, as the country possesses the largest proven oil reserves in the world and is also a significant state sponsor of trafficking in illicit goods ranging from endangered wildlife to illegal gold and, most significantly, drugs. Origins of the Crisis So how did the once-wealthiest country in South America arrive at this unfortunate state? Even a cursory look at the decline of Venezuela cannot help but place the blame on corrupt, incompetent, self-serving political leadership. Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías,1 president of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013, had already started his country down the road to disaster before his demise.
    [Show full text]
  • Cocaine in Colombia and Venezuela
    RESEARCH REPORT BEYOND THE NARCOSTATE NARRATIVE What U.S. Drug Monitoring Data Says About Venezuela By Geoff Ramsey and David Smilde MARCH 2020 KEY FINDINGS • Venezuela’s state institutions have deteriorated and the country lacks an impartial, transparent, or even functional justice system. In this environment, armed groups and organized criminal structures, including drug trafficking groups, have thrived.But U.S government data suggests that, despite these challenges, Venezuela is not a prima- ry transit country for U.S.-bound cocaine. U.S. policy toward Venezuela should be predicated on a realistic understanding of the transnational drug trade. • Recent data from the U.S. interagency Consolidated Counterdrug Database (CCDB) in- dicates that 210 metric tons of cocaine passed through Venezuela in 2018. By compar- ison, the State Department reports that over six times as much cocaine (1,400 metric tons) passed through Guatemala the same year. • According to U.S. monitoring data, the amount of cocaine trafficked from Colombia through Venezuela is significant, but it is a fraction of the cocaine that is sent through other transit countries. Around 90 percent of all U.S.-bound cocaine is trafficked through Western Caribbean and Eastern Pacific routes, not through Venezuela’s Eastern Caribbean seas. • There was an increase in cocaine flows through Venezuela in the period from 2012 to 2017, but that increase corresponds with a surge in cocaine production in Colombia during that same time. CCDB data suggests the amount of cocaine trafficked through Colombia rose from 918 metric tons in 2012 to 2,478 metric tons in 2017 (a 269 per- cent increase), and from 159 to 249 metric tons in Venezuela in that same period (a 156 percent increase).
    [Show full text]
  • Venezuela: Background and U.S. Relations
    Venezuela: Background and U.S. Relations Updated April 28, 2021 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R44841 SUMMARY R44841 Venezuela: Background and U.S. Relations April 28, 2021 The crisis in Venezuela has deepened under the authoritarian rule of Nicolás Maduro, who has consolidated power despite presiding over a dire economic and humanitarian Clare Ribando Seelke, crisis worsened by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Maduro, Coordinator narrowly elected in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez (president, 1999-2013), and the Specialist in Latin United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) took de facto control of the National American Affairs Assembly, the last independent branch of government, in January 2021. Maduro has resisted U.S. and international pressure to step down and an opposition led by Juan Rebecca M. Nelson Guaidó, the National Assembly president elected in 2015 and once regarded as interim Specialist in International Trade and Finance president by nearly 60 countries. Venezuela’s economy has collapsed. The country is plagued by hyperinflation, severe Rhoda Margesson shortages of food and medicine, and a dire humanitarian crisis that has further Specialist in International deteriorated as a result of gasoline shortages, COVID-19, and U.S. sanctions. Maduro Humanitarian Policy has blamed sanctions for the economic crisis, but many observers cite economic mismanagement and corruption as the main factors. U.N. agencies estimate 5.6 million Phillip Brown Venezuelans have fled the country as of April 2021. Specialist in Energy Policy U.S. Policy The U.S. government ceased recognizing Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president in January 2019.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cocaine Pipeline to Europe
    RESEARCH REPORT THE COCAINE PIPELINE TO EUROPE Jeremy McDermott | James Bargent | Douwe den Held | Maria Fernanda Ramírez FEBRUARY 2021 THE COCAINE PIPELINE TO EUROPE THE COCAINE PIPELINE TO EUROPE ww February 2021 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report has been jointly produced by InSight Crime and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized crime. The project was made possible by the generous funding of the government of Norway. © 2021 Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the Global Initiative. Cover: In 2019, Spanish police seized a semi-submersible that had crossed the Atlantic with three tonnes of cocaine on board. © Lalo R. Villar/AFP via Getty Images Design: Elisa Roldan, Ana Isabel Rico, Juan José Restrepo, Elné Potgieter Please direct inquiries to: The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Avenue de France 23 Geneva, CH-1202 Switzerland www.globalinitiative.net CONTENTS Abbreviations and acronyms ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������v Executive summary ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 Trafficking to Europe ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3
    [Show full text]
  • The Collapse of Venezuela and Its Impact on the Region Dr
    People look for food in garbage dumped outside a looted supermarket 21 April 2017 in the El Valle neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, after demonstrations against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. (Photo by Ronaldo Schemidt, Agence France-Presse) The Collapse of Venezuela and Its Impact on the Region Dr. R. Evan Ellis n May 2017, as the number killed during pro- the United States and the region asked, “How much tests against the regime of Nicolás Maduro in longer could it go on?”1 In addition to the crisis Venezuela climbed toward 40, and with more within Venezuela, the collapse of its economy and the Ithan 130 injured and over 1,300 arrests, many in escalating criminal and political violence have also 22 July-August 2017 MILITARY REVIEW COLLAPSE OF VENEZUELA produced a massive outflow of refugees to neighboring corruption and mismanagement in government enter- Colombia and Brazil, to the nearby Caribbean islands prises, have progressively eliminated the capacity of the of Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, and Curaçao, and Venezuelan economy to produce even the most basic to other locales throughout the region. In total, an goods required by the people of the country to survive. estimated 1.5 million of Venezuela’s 32 million people Additionally, declining petroleum output, high produc- have left the country since the government of Hugo tion costs, debt service obligations, an accumulation Chávez came to power in 1999.2 Venezuela’s neighbors of adverse legal judgments from past expropriations, watch the unfolding drama not
    [Show full text]
  • Mercenary Operations Against Venezuela: the Evolution of a Failed Military Threat
    INVESTIGATION. ANALYSIS. W. MISIONVERDAD.COM STRATEGY. COMMUNICATION. T. @MISION_VERDAD MERCENARY OPERATIONS AGAINST VENEZUELA: THE EVOLUTION OF A FAILED MILITARY THREAT. SPECIAL REPORT. CARACAS. 15/05/2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE CONTENT CAN BE USED CITING AUTHORSHIP. SPECIAL REPORT. VENEZUELA 2020. COBERTURA ESPECIAL. COVID-19 Soldiers from Venezuela’s Armed Forces guard the coast of La Guaira state after neutralizing a vessel with mercenaries coming from Colombia. (Photo: Courtesy). VENEZUELA has recently been subject of a number of attempts of mercenary penetration in the country. According to research conducted by authorities of the Venezuelan National Government several armed cells made up by mercenaries and Venezuelan and foreign former militaries have intended to gather in Venezuelan territory in order to organise and perpetrate1 terrorist actions, including attempts on the lives of State authorities and chavismo leaders and, in turn, coordinate sedition among the FANB (Spanish acronym for National Bolivarian Armed Force). The so-called Operation Gedeon, in fact, results from other developments and critical causes that have threatened the peace of the Republic. This operation is the consequence of an evolution that drives the development of war in the country and a planned prolonged instability cycle. 2 MERCENARY OPERATIONS AGAINST VENEZUELA. SPECIAL REPORT. VENEZUELA 2020. MOMENTUM OF A NEW TYPE OF TERRORISM IN VENEZUELA On June 27, 2017, an officer of the CICPC (Spanish acronym of the Venezu- elan Scientific and Criminal Police Corps) named Óscar Pérez2, along with other fellow officers of a command unit of such security corps, hijacked a CICPC helicopter and perpetrated an attack with grenades against the head- quarters of the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela in Caracas.
    [Show full text]
  • Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy and Issues in the 116Th Congress
    Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy and Issues in the 116th Congress Updated September 3, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46258 SUMMARY R46258 Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy September 3, 2020 and Issues in the 116th Congress Mark P. Sullivan, The United States maintains strong linkages with neighboring Latin America and the Caribbean Coordinator based on geographic proximity and diverse U.S. interests, including economic, political, and Specialist in Latin security concerns. The United States is a major trading partner and source of foreign investment American Affairs for many countries in the region, with free-trade agreements enhancing economic linkages with 11 countries. The region is a large source of U.S. immigration, both legal and illegal; proximity June S. Beittel and economic and security conditions are major factors driving migration. Curbing the flow of Analyst in Latin American illicit drugs has been a key component of U.S. relations with the region for more than four Affairs decades and currently involves close security cooperation with Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. U.S. support for democracy and human rights in the region has been long-standing, with current focus on Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Overall, although the region has made Peter J. Meyer significant advances over the past four decades in terms of both political and economic Specialist in Latin development, notable challenges remain and some countries have experienced major setbacks, American Affairs most prominently Venezuela. Most significantly in 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having widespread economic, social, and political effects in the region Clare Ribando Seelke and is currently surging in infections and deaths in some countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Illegal Trade of Narcotics
    Committee: HRC Topic: Illegal trade of Narcotics [1] Committee: Human Rights Council Issue: Illegal trade of Narcotics Written by: Jonah Kramer Position: Member of the board of directors Introduction Illegal Trade of Narcotics otherwise known as Drug trafficking is the trade of drugs both inside a given country and from country to country. Illegal narcotics trade occurs on a global black market with substances that are under drug prohibition laws. It also happens transnationally between individual buyers and sellers to meet demand. UNODC(United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) monitors drug flows in order to help governments’ police forces combat narcotics entering or being produced in their countries. Drugs that are considered high risk to UNODC include Heroin, Cocaine, Marijuana, Fentanyl, Ub770, Carfentanil, Crack Cocaine, Methamphetamine, LSD and MDMA/Ecstasy. Recent drug abuse and trafficking news include the likes of the opioid crisis in the USA, where drugs like Fentanyl, Heroin and Carfentanil are causing the large proportion of deaths. According to the global drug survey, the most expensive drug is Cocaine and the most commonly used drug is Marijuana. [2] Key terms Illegal Narcotic An illegal narcotic constitutes a substance taken by humans to change the way the brain works. An illegal narcotic is one widely recognised to be illegal in the majority of countries in the UN. Trafficking The transportation of Illegal Narcotics across international borders or nationally. Trafficking is usually done by smugglers and in mass quantities. Traffickers are constantly tracked by the UNODC. UNODC The UNODC is the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, who work with governments’ national police forces in order to try and tackle drug trafficking.
    [Show full text]