On July 14, Admiral Craig Faller, commander of US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), convened the 2020 Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC) on “Strengthening Partnerships to Confront Regional Challenges in a COVID-19 Environment” that focused on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and countering transnational criminal organizations. Participants included senior military and civilian leaders from Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama.

Perry Center Professor Professor Celina Realuyo opened and moderated the CENTSEC session on “Countering Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs): Operational Design and Results.” This session examined how transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are operating and adapting their illicit trafficking activities in the age of COVID-19 and discussed what the US and partner nations can do to further improve operations to counter TCOs in the region.