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** US Sways Regional Security Choices in Latin America
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Mike LaSusa, Deputy Director of Content

21 NOV, 2025

In a week with a lot of big organized crime news, I found my attention drawn to something that almost passed under the radar: an interview ([link removed]) by the Spanish newspaper El País with Albert Ramdin, the secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS).

Much of the interview with the top diplomat for the regional body focused on the aggressive posture the United States has taken toward combating organized crime in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ramdin acknowledged that US actions ([link removed]) like the airstrikes on alleged drug boats ([link removed]) and the military deployment near Venezuela ([link removed]) have highlighted deep political divisions in the region. But he pointed out that US economic influence gives it significant sway in multilateral discussions.

“It’s not fair to depend on a single member state and expect that state not to say, ‘Things have to be done my way,’” Ramdin said.

For me, the interview underscored how citizens and policymakers have to factor their relationship with the United States into their security policy choices – a dynamic we saw playing out in recent days.

Bolivia announced last week that it would welcome US anti-drug assistance ([link removed]) after nearly two decades of refusing it, as part of a broader reestablishment of closer US relations under a new conservative government.

On the other hand, Ecuadorian voters this week rejected a proposal ([link removed]) to reestablish US military bases there, showing skepticism about hardline policies pushed by the pro-Trump President Daniel Noboa, which have done little to tamp down gang violence.

Organized crime has long been a hot-button political issue in Latin America, and US relations often shape security policy decisions. This seems increasingly true as the United States puts organized crime at the top of its agenda and pressures its partners to adopt its preferred, militaristic approach.

Stay tuned as we follow how these developments impact the regional criminal landscape.


** We Want Your Feedback
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You may have noticed that we’ve tried to make this newsletter a bit more personal to better connect with readers like you. If you have comments or questions, let us know at [email protected].
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Find out more about all the noteworthy stories from Latin America and the Caribbean that came across our desk this week below:

OnTheRadar (#OnTheRadar) | Editor’s Pick (#Editors-pick) #Editors-pick | Don’t Miss (#Dont-Miss) |In the Spotlight (#In-The-Spotlight) | Audio (#Audio)

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#OnTheRadar ()


** This Week in Organized Crime ([link removed])
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◉ ([link removed]) [link removed] of Ecuador’s most prominent crime bosses was arrested in Spain. ([link removed])

◉ ([link removed]) A massive illegal gold seizure sounds the alarm in Paraguay. ([link removed])

◉ ([link removed]) Child casualties in Colombia bombing campaign of FARC dissidents stirs controversy. ([link removed])
Watch this Reel ([link removed])

#Editor’sPick ()

Investigations > ([link removed])
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** US Foreign Terrorist Designations in Latin America: An Interactive Map ([link removed])
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The United States has intensified its tactics for fighting organized crime in Latin America, including designating various Latin American criminal groups as “foreign terrorist organizations” in 2025.

Most recently, the State Department said it would be adding Venezuela’s Cartel of the Suns ([link removed]) to that list, despite the fact that it is not a unified drug trafficking organization.
Explore the map ([link removed])

< Criminal Profiles ([link removed])
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** In the Spotlight ()
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** Panama Criminal Profile ([link removed])
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Panama’s strategic location, connecting Central and South America, has made it a key transit point for illicit trade, as well as a refuge and negotiating area for criminal organizations.


** This is especially true for those involved in the international cocaine trade. Just last week, security forces there confiscated a massive 13.5-ton drug shipment from a tugboat off the country’s Pacific coast.
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** Find out more about organized crime dynamics in Panama in our newly updated profile ([link removed]) .
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** Don’t Miss ()
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🔗 How a New Port Created Ecuador’s Latest Criminal Epicenter ([link removed])

🔗 Ecuador Just Arrested a Lesser-Known Lobos Gang Boss in Spain ([link removed])

🔗 On the Radar: US Strikes Trigger International Rebuke ([link removed])

🔗 Chile Election Highlights Voters’ Split on Anti-Crime Policies ([link removed])

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** #Audio () 18 NOV, 2025
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** Mom-and-Pop Stores: Perfect Money Laundering Vehicles on US-Mexico Border ([link removed])
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An old-school money laundering tool on the US-Mexico border.
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