On August 17, 2023, Perry Center Professor Celina Realuyo gave a virtual presentation titled “The Reality of Fentanyl Trafficking – How Covered Parties and Clients Could be Involved?” at the XXVII Hemispheric Congress for the Prevention of Money Laundering, Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Panama before an in-person audience of more than 1200 Panamanian and Latin American participants from the public, private and civic sectors. This annual conference convenes experts and practitioners from the Americas to examine emerging trends and challenges in illicit financial flows and share best practices to safeguard the international financial system.

On August 22, she also gave a presentation at the “Transnational Organized Crime: Political-Strategic Implications for Ecuador” seminar held by Ecuador’s Joint Military Defense Academy. Her presentation was titled “Combating Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Networks in the Americas.” Other panelists included Dr. Katalina Bareiro, who spoke on “Threats and Risks to Ecuador from Transnational Organized Crime: a Geopolitical Vision,” and Perry Center graduate, General (ret.) Carlos Rodriguez who presented on “Threats and Risks to Ecuador, from the incidence of Transnational Organized Crime: Technological Linkage.” This large-scale hybrid event had more than 1200 military and civilian participants from the Ecuadorian armed forces.