Adam Isacson, WOLA’s Director for Defense Oversight, testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere in a hearing titled “INL Should Fight Crime, Not Fight Conservatives.” The session examined the activities of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and its effectiveness in addressing security challenges in Latin America.
In his testimony, Isacson highlighted the urgent need for the INL to focus on strengthening rule of law institutions, combating organized crime, and addressing corruption in the region. He emphasized that sustainable security requires investment in justice systems and human rights protections, not just militarized approaches to crime.
“There’s a growing realization that real progress takes time—and depends on breaking collusion between government and crime. That’s why efforts like the Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, the CICIG, mattered so much,” he told the committee in his testimony. “Brave people made historic anti-corruption gains, and INL was there to support them.”
