Maximizing Opportunity and Minimizing Risk in LATAM

Latin America is a region of immense opportunity and complex challenges, where businesses and travelers face a unique blend of security and operational risks. With a population of over 650 million, it presents a vast and growing consumer market — encompassing minerals, oil, and agriculture — making it a strategic hub for industries such as mining and energy. Its proximity to North America positions it as a key trade and logistics gateway, while its competitive labor costs and skilled workforce attract companies looking to optimize their operations. Some South American cities are emerging as tech and innovation hubs, and the cultural diversity allows businesses to tailor offerings to local preferences with an adaptable workforce.  

Yet, from navigating geopolitical instability to organized crime and natural disasters in Latin America, escalating security concerns heighten the stakes for companies in this dynamic landscape. 

We recently had the opportunity to talk with Maria Gallego, a Pinkerton Associate Director specializing in risk management in Latin America. In our conversation, Maria shared her insights on what makes this region distinct, evolving threats, and how Pinkerton helps organizations navigate these challenges.  

Pinkerton: Thank you for meeting with us, Maria. We are so excited to talk with you about what makes risk management and mitigation unique in Latin America. This region offers a wealth of opportunities for businesses with growing markets and abundant resources. With that in mind, can you share with us how Pinkerton’s expertise in Latin America supports companies that are growing or expanding, especially in challenging, high-risk areas? 

Maria Gallego: Pinkerton has been around for a long time in Latin America. We’ve been working in high-risk environments for years, and we know that navigating them goes far beyond having a good plan on paper. Understanding the high-risk environments is our core strength. We support our clients by providing a whole view of the landscape — addressing not only the immediate threats to business continuity, but also emerging factors such as social unrest, political shifts, digital vulnerabilities, and operational risks that can quickly escalate and compromise personnel safety, strategic assets, and corporate reputation. 

From our experience in regions like the Andean corridor or the tri-border area, we know these high-risk zones often lack basic infrastructure and involve complex dynamics with local actors. The presence of organized crime networks and non-state armed groups, for example, significantly increases the complexity of operating in specific zones. Their modus operandi normally changes, and the dynamics must be identified to navigate these situations.  

Pinkerton delivers firsthand intelligence and local insights to help clients safely navigate these environments and make informed decisions. Our regional footprint allows clients to operate across multiple countries without the need to source separate security providers for each location. Thanks to our single point of contact (POC) model, clients can develop customized risk and security strategies in each country, while maintaining a unified standard of service and centralized information flow. We are currently delivering services throughout Latin America for clients that have operations in multiple countries. While our clients focus on growth and expansion, we focus on their safety — helping them operate securely, confidently, and in alignment with local realities across Latin America. 

Pinkerton: What types of unique insights or intelligence does Pinkerton provide to help companies be ready for any challenges that might come their way? 

Maria Gallego: To begin, all of our risk and threat assessments are fully customized to reflect the specific operational context of each client. We prioritize gathering relevant, actionable intelligence that supports strategic decision-making and early risk detection. Our intelligence solutions combine local human sources, open-source intelligence (OSINT), and proprietary tools to deliver a 360° view of the threat landscape. We closely monitor evolving regulatory, geopolitical, social, and environmental conditions across Latin America to ensure our clients are alerted to any changes that could directly impact their operations, supply chains, or personnel. This includes: 

By integrating these insights into client workflows — whether through risk briefings, real-time alerts, or embedded analysts — we empower organizations to act proactively, rather than reactively, in the face of emerging threats. 

Pinkerton: Around here, we say it a lot, the threat landscape is always changing. How does Pinkerton help organizations prepare for new and emerging threats?  

Maria Gallego: Just like everywhere, companies navigate evolving risk environments while fostering a strong security culture. What’s unique to Latin America is that some companies operate in high-risk areas where personnel often become targets for criminal and non-state armed groups. 

Additionally, companies in this region must operate within socially complex contexts, where civil unrest, protests, and local opposition can disrupt operations and compromise safety. At the same time, sudden and extreme weather events — from floods to landslides and heatwaves — pose growing risks to both life and infrastructure, requiring preparedness plans that go beyond traditional security measures. To address this, we offer a range of tailored training programs, including crisis management and emergency response training in Latin America, security awareness for both rural and urban environments, information security and handling protocols, HEAT (Hostile Environment Awareness Training), and survival training, among others. These initiatives are designed to enhance preparedness, reduce exposure, and help employees have the tools and knowledge needed to respond effectively to threats and operate safely under complex conditions. 

Pinkerton: Can you tell us how Pinkerton makes helps organizations in Latin America stay on track with local laws and cultural practices? 

Maria Gallego: In Latin America, we place particular emphasis on understanding both formal regulations and informal social dynamics to design security and risk management strategies that are effective in the short, medium, and long term — while always ensuring compliance with local laws and standards. We closely follow developments such as the anticipated security sector reform in Chile; the rising crime rates in the country, labor and healthcare reforms in Colombia; elections in Venezuela and Ecuador, and ongoing regulatory changes in Argentina.  

Social unrest and geopolitical shifts across the region are also carefully monitored. We analyze how both domestic and international events influence local dynamics and use this intelligence to produce tailored briefings and reports that help our clients make informed decisions.  

We identify and analyze key stakeholders, national and regional regulatory frameworks, and the social and economic dynamics shaping the operating environment. Comprehensive threat and security risk assessments for enterprises are conducted before the launch of any engagement, forming the foundation of our tailored approach.  

Access to accurate, context-sensitive information is also a top priority. Our clients benefit from firsthand intelligence gathered by local agents, enriched by open-source intelligence (OSINT) for business security, and regional expertise. This allows us to integrate both macro-level insights and on-the-ground realities, combining the strategic perspective of our regional analysts with the deep local knowledge of our trusted partners and networks. 

Pinkerton: Latin America stands out as a region rich in natural resources that benefit both regional and global energy markets. How does Pinkerton tackle the specific security and risk challenges that energy companies face? 

Maria Gallego: Latin America holds vast reserves of fossil fuels as well as critical minerals essential to the global energy transition and the development of renewable energy technologies. For this reason, oil and gas companies, electric utilities, and clean energy firms see the region as a strategic hub for investment and operational growth. 

However, just as Latin America presents significant opportunities, it is also a high-risk environment. The region is marked by political instability, social and environmental conflict, volatile regulatory frameworks, organized crime, logistical barriers, and infrastructure challenges — all of which directly impact the energy sector’s ability to operate safely and sustainably.  

With an established presence in Latin America, Pinkerton’s approach is designed precisely for these types of high-complexity, high-stakes environments. We help energy companies anticipate threats, navigate uncertainty, and protect their people, operations, and reputations in one of the most resource-rich—and risk-prone—regions in the world. Here’s how: 

Pinkerton: One last question. Can share with us some of the real-life scenarios where Pinkerton has supported clients in dealing with crises such as extortion threats or natural disasters? 

Maria Gallego: Of course. Over the past year, we have worked with companies across multiple sectors to develop customized crisis management plans, supported by internal programs that enable coordinated, structured, and effective responses to unexpected situations.  

So far, we have successfully supported clients in responding to extortion threats from armed groups, assisting personnel in high-risk areas, managing crises caused by natural disasters, and addressing scenarios not previously anticipated in their business continuity plans.

Crisis management consulting and training has been a key component across all engagements, strengthening decision-making under pressure — an essential capability in the complex and often volatile context of Latin America.  

In addition, Pinkerton has developed brand protection programs tailored to the specific needs of several clients. Supported by our Global Security Operations Center and field intelligence from our local agents, we have collaborated with national authorities in multiple countries to locate stolen cargo and dismantle smuggling networks. These efforts safeguarded our clients’ brand integrity and also helped law enforcement track and disrupt illicit trade operations. 

Connect with Pinkerton Today 

Navigating the complexities of Latin America requires more than just a plan—it demands expertise, local insight, and a proactive approach to security. Whether you’re expanding your business, managing travel risks, or safeguarding operations in high-risk areas, Pinkerton is here to help. Our team is ready to provide tailored risk management solutions that align with your goals and the unique realities of the region. Reach out to us today to learn how we can support your journey in Latin America with confidence and peace of mind. Let’s turn challenges into opportunities — connect with Pinkerton now!