From historical, cultural, and economic perspectives, the European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have long been close partners. Yet their relations also include negative dimensions, notably the rise of transnational organised crime. In 2023, the EUROLAT Working Group on Security, Organised and Transnational Crime and Terrorism highlighted the urgent need for a more coherent and coordinated framework to address these challenges.
Several mechanisms currently structure EU–LAC cooperation, including collaboration with EU executive agencies, the creation of joint investigation teams (JITs), and the development of interregional programmes that offer technical assistance. After outlining this diverse ‘patchwork’, this paper examines two case studies: JITs and the programme El PAcCTO, the Europe-Latin America Programme of Assistance against Transnational Organised Crime, employing qualitative empirical research through semi-structured interviews with practitioners working in the Programme.
Adopting a perspective inspired by the “criminal lawyer’s eye,” the paper critically evaluates how EU–LAC cooperation operates in practice. It first explains the functioning of these instruments and then interrogates their dual nature: while they undeniably strengthen operational cooperation and the effectiveness of criminal investigations, they may simultaneously place pressure on fundamental criminal law guarantees. These guarantees - linked to legality, due process, proportionality, and the protection of individual rights - remain essential to the legitimacy of any criminal justice response. The paper advocates a balanced approach that strengthens cooperation while maintaining core legal safeguards.