Partnering Against Influence: Supporting SOF Readiness in Latin America

For Special Operations Forces, staying ahead of emerging threats—cartel activity, foreign interference, and disinformation—is mission critical. Recently, DarkBlue was honored to participate in the South American in Competition Conference, hosted by the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) and the Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI).

The event centered around a high-fidelity crisis simulation designed to challenge U.S. and Latin American participants with a scenario rooted in foreign influence and transnational threat activity. It reflected the very real dynamics SOF teams face in gray zone environments—complex alliances, disinformation campaigns, and nontraditional adversaries operating across multiple domains.

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DarkBlue’s Role

As a participating technology partner, DarkBlue provided subject matter expertise on how open-source intelligence (OSINT) contributes to early warning, situational awareness, and threat tracking—particularly across platforms like the dark web, Telegram, and closed community forums.

The simulated scenario echoed what our users encounter daily: cross-border smuggling, regional destabilization efforts, and coordinated influence operations. For SOF teams operating with limited time and high stakes, the ability to rapidly surface and synthesize OSINT can make all the difference.

Partnerships that Matter

DarkBlue is proud to be part of a trusted community that includes SOAA and IWI—two organizations at the forefront of preparing U.S. and partner forces for irregular warfare challenges. Events like this reinforce the critical need for private–public collaboration in the defense space.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to support the exercise and contribute to the national security mission in Latin America and beyond.

Missed South America in Competition?

You can still explore how DarkBlue helps counter nation-state activity and protect against emerging threats. Experience the DarkBlue difference. Contact us to request a free trial today!