Guyana participates in US-backed regional law enforcement training

Guyana has participated in a Regional Security and Tactical Planning course in El Salvador, as the United States continues to support efforts to strengthen law enforcement capabilities and cooperation across the region.
The US Embassy in Guyana disclosed the participation in a social media post on Thursday, stating that the training was supported through the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
The course was held at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in San Salvador and brought together participants from across the region to strengthen their knowledge and capabilities in security and tactical planning.

According to the embassy, the course was developed by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and provided participants with an opportunity to exchange experiences, develop their professional skills and strengthen regional cooperation.
“The US Embassy is proud to support training opportunities that strengthen Guyana’s law enforcement capabilities and foster collaboration with regional and international partners to advance security and the rule of law,” the embassy stated.
Guyana’s participation comes as Georgetown and Washington continue to strengthen their security partnership, particularly in addressing narcotics trafficking and transnational organised crime.
On October 15, Guyana Times reported that Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond had reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to closer law enforcement cooperation with the United States following a meeting with Kevin Ogley, the US Embassy’s new INL Director for Guyana and Suriname.
Walrond said the meeting focused on deepening cooperation between the two countries in tackling narcotics trafficking and transnational crime.
The engagement followed comments by US Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot, who said in September that closer collaboration between the two countries would make Guyana a more difficult environment for narcotics traffickers to operate in.
Theriot noted that Guyana’s oil and gas revenues, alongside its economic growth and development, had made the country an attractive target for criminal networks. She also highlighted cooperation between US law enforcement agencies and local agencies, including the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF), Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). The United States has also committed US$2 million towards a cost-sharing initiative to strengthen Guyana’s air domain awareness, with the Guyanese Government expected to contribute. The initiative is intended to improve the monitoring of suspected drug flights and assist authorities in tracking their movements.
Additionally, the US has provided the GDF with a coastal radar system to support the monitoring of vessels operating within a specified range of Guyana’s coastline.
Guyana’s security cooperation with the United States also extends to regional initiatives, including the Shield of the Americas and the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, which seek to strengthen coordinated efforts against narcotics trafficking and transnational criminal organisations.