LatinNews Daily - 12 October 2026

Argentina: On 5 October Argentina’s security ministry announced that the US government was setting up a regional unit of its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) in Argentina. The security ministry announced that the US government had approved funding of US$13.35m to set up the unit to “strengthen the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime”. It added that, “of the total funds allocated, US$7.5m will be earmarked specifically for cooperation projects in Argentina, while the remaining US$5.85m will finance initiatives for the region as a whole, in which our country will also participate”. The security ministry stated that the establishment of the INL regional unit “represents a new step in the strategic partnership between Argentina and the US to ensure regional security in the face of criminal organisations that are operating with ever-greater capacity and transnational reach”. On social media, Argentina’s Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva stated that “Argentina is a reliable country, and our allies know it”. Monteoliva added that the US$7.5m would be used “for equipment, training, and security projects, multiplying the investment in cooperation by ten”. The announcement comes after Argentina’s security ministry and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) co-hosted the International Drug Enforcement Conference (Idec) in Buenos Aires in August. Speaking at the event, DEA administrator, Terrance Cole, stated that the DEA would “continue investing in resources and technology” in Argentina, with the establishment of the new regional INL unit reflecting this commitment.

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