No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsCrimeU.S. forms anti-crime alliance with Guatemala and Mexico

U.S. forms anti-crime alliance with Guatemala and Mexico

GUATEMALA CITY — The governments of the United States, Mexico and Guatemala formed a special body Friday to fight drug trafficking and organized crime.

The Trilateral Security Desk evaluates intelligence and border risks to combat human trafficking and the smuggling of illegal weapons and drugs in the region, Guatemalan Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez told reporters.

During the group’s first meeting, at a hotel in Guatemala City, officials set a roadmap to meet security objectives.

“The important thing is that we are discussing joint problems. This trilateral work strengthens our relationships and creates a new shared vision,” said US Assistant Secretary of International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer for the Department of Homeland Security Alan Bersin, speaking in Spanish.

To fight crime together, officials from the three countries agreed their police forces should establish protocols on information exchange and the flow of migrants.

Guatemala is suffering from a wave of violence that has caused about 6,000 deaths, nearly half of them attributed to drugs and the operations of powerful Mexican cartels supported by local drug lords.

With help from the United States, Guatemala last year established a special force of police, soldiers and tax officials to combat drug trafficking, organized crime and smuggling on its border with Mexico.

In Mexico, turf wars between rival gangs have contributed to drug violence that has left more than 77,000 people dead in the past seven years.

Mexico shares a long border spanning more than 3,000 kilometers (nearly 2,000 miles) with the United States.

Trending Now

US Soldiers Join Panama for Canal Defense Exercises

US soldiers arrived in Panama yesterday to conduct military exercises focused on protecting the Panama Canal, a key global trade route. The US Embassy...

Money Laundering in Costa Rica: Key Methods and Challenges

Costa Rica’s geographic position and economic openness make it a target for money laundering, primarily driven by drug trafficking, according to the 2025 International...

Costa Rican Fishermen Sound Alarm on Gulf of Nicoya’s Overfishing Crisis

In Costa Rica’s Gulf of Nicoya, fishermen are raising urgent concerns about a growing crisis threatening their livelihoods and the region’s marine ecosystems. Illegal...

Learning Spanish in Costa Rica: Lessons Beyond the Textbook

Learning a new language later in life requires patience, perseverance, and the understanding that, no matter how fluent you become, you'll probably never reach...

Panama’s Gardí Sugdub Becomes a Climate Migration Case as Sea Levels Rise

The laughter of children running through the alleys of Gardí Sugdub is no longer heard. Everything changed a year ago when nearly all of...

Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Jannik Sinner in Epic French Open Comeback

Carlos Alcaraz saved three championship points as he produced an astonishing fightback from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in a French Open...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica