EU and Latin America & the Caribbean working together for citizens' security

29.10.2025

From the streets of our cities, the docks of our ports, from cybersecurity labs in Santo Domingo to enhanced drugs policies in the Caribbean and elsewhere, EU-LAC collaboration is making a tangible difference.

Main image: Border personnel in Ecuador, a EUROFRONT partner country, participating in the Atenas Network which aims to track false documents and related crimes.

Security is not just a policy priority—it is the foundation of our daily lives. Whether it is the safety of our neighbourhoods, the integrity of our borders, or the stability of our digital spaces, feeling secure allows communities to thrive. Yet, in both the EU and Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC), this security is under threat. Transnational criminal networks - operating across continents - traffic drugs, smuggle migrants, launder money, and exploit the environment, often with devastating consequences for ordinary people. These groups do not recognise borders, and the response should adapt and anticipate their operating modalities to curb their impact on our societies.

That is why the EU and LAC are working closer than ever before. Their partnership is not just about law enforcement or defence—it is about protecting people, strengthening institutions and judicial systems, and building resilience in a world where threats are becoming more complex and interconnected. From the streets of our cities, the docks of our ports, from cybersecurity labs in Santo Domingo to enhanced drugs policies in the Caribbean and elsewhere, this collaboration is making a tangible difference.

A Shared Challenge, an United Response Strengthening security and justice cooperation against organized crime

At the Third EU-CELAC Summit in 2023, leaders from both regions committed to strengthening security and justice cooperation against organised crime, corruption, and money laundering. A top-down effort is not enough: to fight interconnected threats, responses must be comprehensive, adaptive, and inclusive, rallying the State judiciary and law enforcement bodies, civil society, the private sector and local communities.

One of the most pressing issues is drug trafficking, a problem that affects both regions profoundly. The EU-CELAC Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs serves as the primary platform for bi-regional dialogue to reduce demand and supply, as well as disrupting trafficking routes especially of cocaine and synthetic drugs. Through EU-funded programmes like COPOLAD III, the EU and LAC are enhancing the capacity of national drug observatories, improving data collection, and introducing Early Warning Systems in seven LAC countries by 2025. These systems use digital tools and even wastewater analysis to detect emerging threats, such as synthetic opioids. Thanks to this programme, some countries like Barbados, Guyana, and Jamaica, are receiving specialized training to develop future scenarios and policy responses, directly benefiting their national drug monitoring and public health strategies.

European Union, 2025

Image: Seminar for strengthening National Drug Observatories (NDOs) and Early Warning Systems (EWS)

Moreover, the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) is working closely with several LAC countries (Peru and Colombia) and recently it has signed a formal working arrangement with Ecuador (2024).

Law enforcement co-operation between EU and LAC

Criminal networks thrive in the gaps between jurisdictions and different operational approaches. To close these gaps, the EU and LAC are strengthening law enforcement cooperation at every level. The Latin American Committee for Internal Security (CLASI), which brings together interior ministers from 16 LAC countries and the EU, is a prime example. At the EU CLASI 2025 Ministerial Meeting, ministers agreed to intensify efforts against high-impact crimes—environmental crime, drug trafficking, human smuggling, cyber-crime, and financial fraud—while also committing to dismantle criminal networks and trace illicit funds.

EU-CLASI Ministerial Meeting Family Photo

European Union, 2025

Image: EU-CLASI Ministerial Meeting 2025

However, cooperation is not just about strategy—it is about action. AMERIPOL, the Police Community of the Americas, plays a crucial role in fostering police collaboration across the region. With EU support through programmes like EL PAcCTO 2.0, AMERIPOL has strengthened its capacity to combat transnational crime, from fugitive investigations to cyber threats. In 2024, EL PAcCTO 2.0 facilitated a meeting of fugitive investigators from 12 LAC and 4 EU countries, to better prosecute them, leading to the update of INTERPOL’s REFINE network—a critical tool for tracking criminals across borders.

Furthermore, EL PAcCTO 2.0 also explored and analysed the new challenge posed by the use of Artificial Intelligence for criminal purposes, in a very detailed report of 2024.

Then there is EUROFRONT, a project designed to protect migrants while combating the smugglers who exploit them. By focusing on key border crossings—such as Rumichaca (Colombia-Ecuador), Desaguadero (Peru-Bolivia), the Triple Frontier (Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay), and Aguas Blancas-Bermejo (Argentina-Bolivia)—EUROFRONT is improving border management, enhancing human rights protections, and disrupting criminal networks that profit from human suffering.

Global law enforcement projects supporting LAC

The EU also operates, through global projects that tackle global challenges in law enforcement and benefits also LAC.

General aviation (Private jets, leisure flights, and agricultural aircraft) is often exploited by criminal networks to smuggle drugs, weapons, and other illegal goods due to its flexibility and lack of oversight. Since 2019, the EU has funded COLIBRI, a World Customs Organization-led project involving 19 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Its goal is to strengthen law enforcement’s ability to monitor GA flights, improve coordination between agencies, and share real-time data.

A key tool is the Geoportal, a digital platform that tracks aircraft movements and clandestine airstrips, helping authorities intercept illegal activities. The project’s success was highlighted in Operation COLIBRI PARAMUNO (March 2025), where 80+ agencies across 19 countries conducted nearly 2,000 inspections, seizing drugs, weapons, and stolen planes, and dismantling a major drug lab.

European Union, 2025

Image: Operation COLIBRI Paramuno

The Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP), backed by the UN, INTERPOL, and the EU, focuses on training airport authorities in 40+ countries to detect drugs, illegal goods, and high-risk passengers. By fostering real-time information sharing between countries, AIRCOP disrupts criminal networks. Recent collaborations with Spanish police led to concrete results: after joint training sessions, authorities intercepted 20 kg of cocaine in Madrid (from Santo Domingo) and 10.5 kg in another case (from Santiago de Chile). These successes show how cross-border teamwork and trust can directly combat organized crime.

GLACY supports programs work to dismantle criminal networks and fighting cybercrime. Meanwhile, GLACY-e tackles cybercrime by assisting 26 countries in adopting laws and tools to combat hacking, ransomware, and online violence. Thanks to these efforts, 11 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean now have cybercrime legislation, empowering their justice systems to address digital threats effectively.

CRIMARIO, is a maritime capacity-building project aimed at strengthening interagency communication and coordination in response to growing maritime threats and safety challenges including Latin America. For example the Cool Eagle operation in 2024, allowed the Ecuadorian Navy Intelligence to spot some suspicious behavior by the Motor Vessel COOL EAGLE. In the end thanks to the maritime information sharing tool IORIS, the vessel was boarded by Panamanian authorities revealing two tons of cocaine, which was seized.

A group of navy sailors on a maritime exercise

MRCC Chile, 2025

Image: MRCC Chile situation room during the REGEX LATAM SEGMAREX regional maritime exercise.

Moreover the project also promoted the protection of maritime conservation in Latin America together with 14 agencies from 5 countries in Latin America to interoperate and better manage biodiversity and marine and coastal resources.

The EU Global Facility on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) helps partner countries around the world to strengthen their systems against money laundering and terrorist financing. In 2023 it organized a regional conference in Mexico to address the illegal trade in cultural artifacts, with the participation of 18 Latin American countries, especially focusing on raising awareness of the criminal aspects of antiquities trafficking, and promote the use of anti-money-laundering tools in investigations.

Finally, SEACOP works to strengthen the global fight against illicit maritime trafficking. Since 2010 helps partner countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and West Africa to improve their capacity to detect, investigate, and intercept illegal goods transported by sea, including drugs and environmentally sensitive materials like hardwoods. Operation Caribe, achieved, through a large-scale joint maritime operation to seize over 1.5 tonnes of cocaine, 70 kg of cannabis, and other contraband- as well as the arrest of key traffickers. Led under SEACOP across the Caribbean region, the operation brought together 13 Joint Maritime Control Units and 18 Maritime Intelligence Units from countries including Antigua, Jamaica, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia.

European Union, 2025

Image: the Seaport Cooperation Project in action

Cooperation on judicial matters

The EU and LAC are working to bridge gaps between justice systems, ensuring that criminals cannot evade prosecution by exploiting legal loopholes, therefore creating a safe haven for their activities.

At the latest 2024 EU LAC High-Level Meetings on Justice, representatives from both regions focus on international legal cooperation, covering extradition, asset recovery, and digital evidence. EUROJUST, the EU’s agency for criminal justice cooperation, has established working arrangements with six LAC countries, enabling prosecutors to share evidence, freeze assets, and bring criminals to justice—no matter where they operate.

This collaboration is already yielding results. For example, EuroJust signed Working Arrangements with the Prosecution Services of Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Peru, a significant step in disrupting drug trafficking routes from Latin America to Europe. By ensuring that European and Latin American prosecutors work hand in hand, these efforts are not just about dismantling networks—they are about holding criminals accountable in court.

Moreover, Eurojust already has 15 Contact Points in Latin American and Caribbean countries, who are located in their home country and assist judicial cooperation with Eurojust by ensuring that relevant information is promptly shared with their national authorities.

Finally, CRIMJUST gives support to prosecutors, helping them countries dismantle organized crime networks by improving collaboration between investigators and prosecutors. It supports Joint Investigation Teams (JITs), enabling real-time evidence sharing and coordinated action. For example, a JIT between Peru and Bolivia, backed by CRIMJUST, targeted human trafficking, money laundering, and environmental crimes, using new international guidelines to strengthen prosecutions.

Emerging Threats: Preparing for the Future

The security landscape is evolving rapidly. Cyberattacks, disinformation, and environmental crimes are no longer futuristic scenarios—they are today’s realities. The EU and LAC are anticipating these challenges, developing strategies to counter them before they escalate.

In the cybersecurity domain, the EU-LAC SHIELD initiative is creating a structured network for incident response and prevention, mobilising European expertise and technological solutions. The Latin America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre (LAC4) in Santo Domingo is a hub for regional cooperation, hosting events like the 2025 CyberWeek@LAC4, where professionals from both regions will share insights and strengthen cyber resilience.

Moreover, LAC4 is the flagship cyber capacity building initiative of the EU in the Latin America and the Caribbean region, and in March 2025, LAC4 brought together 18 small- and medium enterprises (SMEs) from Central American countries for a hands-on practical training for strengthening their cyber resilience.

Disinformation is another growing concern. In 2024, for example, the EU Delegation in Argentina, alongside partners like Poland and the UK, organised a conference on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), exploring how false narratives undermine democracy and security. By supporting media freedom, fact-checking initiatives, and youth engagement, the EU and LAC are building societal resilience against manipulation.

Moreover, at the moment 2 multi country projects are operating in the region (7 countries) to tackle disinformation and support media and networks of fact-checkers: namely the Alliance for Development in Democracy and the initiative Promoting Reliable Information and Tackling Disinformation.

Meanwhile, environmental crimes—such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and pollution—are being tackled through projects like ECO-SOLVE. The project ECO-SOLVE monitors illicit environmental online trade, exposes corrupt actors, and ensures that local communities have a voice in shaping policies that protect both people and the planet. ECO SOLVE operates in 4 countries in LAC. It combines online trade monitoring with grassroots engagement, to generate actionable data to support law enforcement, inform private sector responses, and strengthen local efforts to combat environmental crime.

Crisis Management, Peace and Security

In an era of climate change, geopolitical tensions, and humanitarian crises, the ability to respond effectively is more important than ever. The EU and LAC are strengthening their crisis management cooperation, from peacebuilding in Colombia to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

Through Framework Participation Agreements, LAC countries like Chile and Colombia contribute to EU missions, such as ALTHEA in Bosnia-Herzegovina and ATALANTA off the coast of Somalia. These partnerships allow uniformed personnel working side by side to build trust and share know-how.

Moreover, the Schuman Security and Defence Forum and the Forte [of Copacabana] International Security Conference in Brazil are consolidated platforms where leaders, experts, and policymakers discuss global security challenges, from hybrid threats to climate security. These dialogues are crucial, as they allow to identify coordinated, inclusive, and forward-looking responses.

The EU contributes to mitigate the potential election-related conflict also via its Election Observation Missions (EOMs). EU election observation missions are a testament of the close cooperation and trust that exists between our two regions in defending democratic principles and upholding the rule of law. The deployment of EU election observation missions always take place at the request of interested countries, as they believe that our missions provide additional guarantees and contribute to enhance transparency of electoral processes. EU EOMs remain an important tool to dispel growing mistrust on electoral processes and consolidate democracy.

Since 2020, the EU has deployed 11 EU electoral observation missions and 9 expert missions to the Latin American and Caribbean region. In 2025 alone, the EU has sent 4 election observation missions to Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana and Honduras.

European Union, 2025

Image: the EOM Guyana 2025 team before deployment

EU and LAC: More secure together

The collaboration between the EU and LAC is not just about addressing today’s threats—it is about building a safer, more resilient future. Whether through law enforcement, justice, cybersecurity, or crisis management, the goal remains the same: to protect people, uphold rights, and ensure that security is not a privilege but a reality for all.

For all people, but especially young adults, across Europe and Latin America, this partnership matters. It is about creating opportunities, reducing vulnerabilities, and ensuring that the world they inherit is one where security is not just a promise, but a lived experience.