Last week, ACE participated in an INTERPOL-led training session in Costa Rica, reinforcing our ongoing collaboration with international partners to combat audiovisual piracy. The initiative was organized in close partnership with and with the key support of the Spanish National Police, whose representatives were also deployed on the ground to deliver specialized training. It brought together law enforcement authorities from across Latin America and the Caribbean, underscoring a shared commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and enhancing enforcement capabilities.
INTERPOL confirmed the participation of representatives from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico. This broad representation reflects an increasing regional alignment in addressing intellectual property crime and advancing coordinated enforcement efforts.
In this context, the industry is at a critical juncture. A recent study presented by ACE highlights significant cybersecurity risks for consumers engaging with piracy services in Latin America. Drawing on aggregated data from more than 90 global security providers, the findings demonstrate that piracy in the region has evolved into a serious threat not only to intellectual property, but also to consumer cybersecurity and national safety. Illegal streaming platforms and peer-to-peer networks emerge as the most dangerous, in some cases posing up to 131 times greater cyber risk.
MPA Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer Larissa Knapp noted that “public private collaboration is essential to combat criminal networks that expose consumers to malware, financial fraud and data theft. Addressing piracy is critical to protecting consumers and strengthening the digital economy.”
Against this backdrop, ACE played a central role in the training, building on its extensive experience delivering workshops and capacity building initiatives for law enforcement agencies worldwide. Through these efforts, ACE supports authorities in line with its strategic priorities to detect, deter and dismantle piracy operations, equipping them with the tools, knowledge and operational frameworks needed to effectively disrupt illegal streaming networks.
The timing of the training is particularly significant considering the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Major global sporting events remain prime targets for piracy networks, making heightened vigilance and cross border coordination essential.
ACE also shared updates on the recent launch of a dedicated Task Force designed to support enforcement actions and safeguard live sports broadcasts. This initiative aims to strengthen real time coordination among stakeholders and disrupt illegal streaming operations at scale during major events.
Through its participation in initiatives such as this INTERPOL training in Costa Rica, ACE continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies and international partners, including the Spanish National Police, to strengthen a coordinated global response and decisively disrupt a threat that continues to evolve in scale and sophistication.
