Homestead, Fla. – Special operations forces from 20 countries will participate in Fuerzas Comando 2019 in Santiago, Chile, June 17-27.
Special operations military and law enforcement teams from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and the United States will compete to claim the title of Fuerzas Comando champion.
The opening ceremony for the 15th Fuerzas Comando exercise will kick off the competition June 17 at the Brigada de Operaciones Especiales “Lautaro” Ejercito de Chile.
The grueling nine-day competition will test the elite forces in areas such as physical fitness, weapons marksmanship, and tactical capabilities. The exercise concludes with an award ceremony to recognize the top team in each category during the closing ceremony, June 27.
A senior leader seminar will take place simultaneously during the competition. This year, senior military and government officials from more than 20 nations will gather in Santiago, Chile, June 24-26, to discuss opportunities to strengthen partnerships and enhance regional security.
Both the exercise and senior leader seminar highlight the enduring commitment to the region and strengthen regional cooperation, mutual trust, and the readiness and interoperability of special operations forces in the Western Hemisphere.
Chile is the host of this year’s competition and senior leader seminar, which is sponsored by the United States Southern Command, headquartered in Miami, Fla. Special Operations Command South, headquartered at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., is the lead U.S. executing command for the exercise. SOCSOUTH serves as the special operations component for U.S. Southern Command.