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

VIDEO INFORMATION

** Details

** Share

VIDEO INFORMATION

** Details

** Share

VIDEO INFORMATION

** Details

** Share

# U.S. Wants to Remain 'Partner of Choice' in Latin America

By Lisa Ferdinando

                WASHINGTON  –              
The United States wants to remain the "partner of choice" in Latin America by providing better options than other entities in the region, the commander of U.S. Southern Command said here today.

In an interview with DoD News, Navy Adm. Kurt W. Tidd noted Russia, China and Iran are "present and very active" in Latin America.00:54VIDEO  | 00:54 |Russia, China, Iran in Latin America

"If we're concerned about them on a global scale, that means we need to make sure that we pay attention to what they are doing in the Latin America region," he said.

Of particular concern, he said, are the areas where Russia, China and Iran are "attempting to displace the United States as the partner of choice."

The U.S. is a better partner with a more "compelling message," he said. The United States, he said, needs to make sure partners in Latin America want to work with the U.S. and that it remains easier for them to do that.00:43VIDEO  | 00:43 |Southcom Refocuses Efforts

**Terrorist Activity, Threat Networks**

Tidd explained how Southcom in the past primarily focused on countering drugs, notably cocaine. However, the biggest concern for the command now is countering the networks that are being used by criminal elements, to include terrorists.

Taking an approach to counter the threat networks allows the command to look strategically at all of the threat networks, he explained.

"As we have done so, we have discovered that there are in fact terrorists that are taking advantage of some of these networks to be able to move in the direction of the United States," he said.

Southcom is working to figure out the extent of the threat and then focus the efforts of U.S. and partner nations to disrupt the efforts, he said.

"There has long been a belief that the phenomenon of ISIS was somehow isolated to the Middle East or to North Africa; the reality is ISIS is present here in our hemisphere," Tidd said, pointing out that radicalization can happen in any country in the region.

"We are all now taking this threat very seriously, and beginning to share information more effectively so that we can get after this problem," he said.00:23VIDEO  | 00:23 |Southcom Discovers Terrorist Actions

**Regional Partnerships**

Tidd, who took command of Southcom in January 2016, appeared earlier in the day for a posture hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee. The hearing included the commander of U.S. Northern Command, Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson.

He highlighted to DoD News the importance of Southcom working with its interagency partners, and with Northcom and the other combatant commands.

An important mission of Southcom, he pointed out, is to rapidly respond to crises in Latin America, to include floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. In addition, U.S. forces conduct training and other exercises with theirLatin American allies.

"We have partners in this part of the world that are very capable," Tidd said. "They are very well-trained; they have good equipment and so we have been working with them on a number of areas as we all collectively attempt to develop a force that is prepared to deal with the security challenges of the 21st century."

Trust is a key element in the U.S. strategy, he pointed out.

"Every day we take a look at what are the things we can do to create trust where perhaps it doesn’t exist, to be able to sustain trust and then finally to be able to make sure that we do nothing that compromises that trust," he said.

Southcom is responsible for all Defense Department security cooperation in the 45 nations and territories of Central and South America and the Caribbean Sea, an area of 16 million square miles.
(Follow Lisa Ferdinando on Twitter: @FerdinandoDoD)

**                    SHARE                

**                    PRINT                

## Related Stories

Southcom Chief: Command Focuses on Countering Threat Networks

Northcom, Southcom Work with Partners to Defend the Homeland

U.S. Southern CommandNavyNavy Adm. Kurt W. Tidd