The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) inaugurated in Panama City the Binational Operational Cooperation Workshop between Ecuador and Panama on Investigations of Organized Crime, Corruption, and Money Laundering, bringing together prosecutors, police officers, forensic experts, and investigators from both countries.
Over three days, participants will work on asset-tracing methodologies, strategic case planning, and the development of operational protocols aimed at strengthening and accelerating binational cooperation against transnational criminal networks.
During the opening session, Panama’s Attorney General emphasized that:
“Confronting transnational organized crime requires interinstitutional coordination, technical rigor, and working relationships based on operational trust among law enforcement authorities.”
Roberto Obando, PADF’s Director of Peace, Justice, and Security, highlighted the practical nature of the workshop:
“We are not here to repeat diagnoses, but to work from practice—how we investigate better, how we coordinate faster, and what needs to change so cooperation works when it matters most.”
This workshop is supported by the U.S. Department of State through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and is part of PADF’s broader efforts to enhance operational cooperation and investigative effectiveness across the region.