An official website of the United States government         Here's how you know         
**Official websites use .mil**
A **.mil** website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
**Secure .mil websites use HTTPS**
 A **lock (lock )** or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to main content (Press Enter).

U.S. Southern Command

Search
Search

Search

-  Home		 
-  About    -  About Main             
  -  Area of Responsibility             
  -  Leadership             
  -  SOUTHCOM Components and Units             
  -  History             
  -  SOUTHCOM Inspector General 
-  Commander's Priorities    -  Commander's Priorities Main             
  -  Strengthen Partnerships      -  Theater Maintenance Partnership Initiative (TMPI) 
  -  Counter Threats             
  -  Build Our Team 
-  Media    -  Media Main             
  -  News             
  -  Press Releases             
  -  Photos             
  -  Videos             
  -  Speeches | Transcripts             
  -  Special Coverage             
  -  SOUTHCOM Podcast 
-  USAG-M / Military-Family Services    -  U.S. Army Garrison-Miami      -  Equal Employment Opportunity Office 
  -  Overview of Services at SOUTHCOM             
  -  About the SOUTHCOM Installation and Local Community             
  -  Miami Family and MWR      -  Army Community Services             
    -  Child, Youth and School Services             
    -  Leisure Travel Services             
    -  Fitness Center 
  -  Visiting SOUTHCOM             
  -  Army Health Clinic SOUTHCOM             
  -  Hurricane Preparedness Info             
  -  Conference Center of the Americas             
  -  Theater Clearance Info             
  -  SOUTHCOM Chaplain             
  -  TEAM SOUTHCOM - Total Engagement for All Members of U.S. Southern Command             
  -  Logistics Readiness Center-Miami             
  -  Public Notice – Environmental Assessment for the Construction of a Military Housing Development             
  -  SHARP (SAPR) 
-  Newcomers    -  Newcomers Main             
  -  Sponsor Request             
  -  Directions to SOUTHCOM             
  -  Army Newcomers             
  -  Navy Newcomers             
  -  Air Force Newcomers             
  -  Marine Corps Newcomers             
  -  Coast Guard Newcomers             
  -  Reserve Newcomers             
  -  Civilian Newcomers             
  -  Contractor Newcomers             
  -  Family Member Newcomers             
  -  Newcomers to Overseas Locations in SOUTHCOM 
-  Work With Us    -  Employment | Careers             
  -  Public / Private Cooperation             
  -  Operational Contract Support             
  -  SOUTHCOM Industry Engagement 
-  FOIA    -  FOIA Main             
  -  How to file A FOIA Request             
  -  FOIA Fees and Exemptions             
  -  Your FOIA Rights             
  -  ​FOIA Reading Room 
-  Contact    -  Contact SOUTHCOM             
  -  Community Requests             
  -  FAQ             
  -  Contact SOUTHCOM Inspector General             
  -  Directions to SOUTHCOM 

HomeMediaNews

PHOTO INFORMATION

** Download

** Details

** Share

PHOTO INFORMATION

** Download

** Details

** Share

# Southern Command Chief Says South American Allies ‘Got Game’

By Jim GaramoneDoD News, Defense Media Activity

                WASHINGTON  –              
In 1988, Colombia looked like it was on its way to being a failed state.

Drug cartels operated with impunity. The rebel group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- or FARC -- controlled vast swathes of the nation and was working hand in glove with the drug lords.

Assassinations were so commonplace and brutal that a whole language developed around them. One particularly brutal way of killing was called a “Cartegena necktie.”

The nation looked like it was pitching into chaos.

But Colombia and the rest of the region have made tremendous progress since. Last week, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos visited NATO headquarters in Brussels to further the nation’s position as the first Latin American nation to become a global partner of the alliance.

**U.S.-Colombian Partnership**

For 30 years, Colombian and U.S. officials worked together to bring the nation back from the brink and the sustained relationship across administrations in both countries has paid off, said Navy Adm. Kurt W. Tidd, the commander of U.S. Southern Command.

The admiral spoke to reporters at the Defense Writers’ Group this morning.

“If we stick together, we can have very successful outcomes,” he said.

Today, Colombia is “a modern, thriving, capable partner,” Tidd said. “The security challenges are still there, but they understand the challenges and they are taking the steps to continue to deal with them.”

Tidd called Colombia a net exporter of security in the region. He noted the Colombian military is working closely with Central American partners, to help them as they deal with their internal security challenges.

**Other U.S. Partners**

But the effort goes beyond just Colombia and Central America. “We have close partnerships with many capable countries across the region,” the admiral said. “What is not understood or well recognized is just how capable some of these countries are.”

Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil “are nations I would stack up there with our very best partners in NATO,” Tidd said. “These are proud and capable militaries that have taken on broader security responsibilities.”

He noted that Uruguay on a per capita basis has the largest presence of United Nations peacekeeping troops.

Brazil has provided sustained leadership of U.N. missions in Haiti and Lebanon.

Colombian officers work on the staff at U.S. Southern Command. A Chilean general is a deputy at Southcom’s Army component headquarters in San Antonio.

“This year, in the world’s largest maritime exercise -- the Rim of the Pacific -- the maritime component commander ... is a Chilean rear admiral,” Tidd said.

“These are countries that have game -- they are serious, they are capable. All we have to do is continue to work together,” he said.

(Follow Jim Garamone on Twitter: @GaramoneDoDNews)

**                    SHARE                

**                    PRINT                

U.S. Southern CommandColombiaNATO