27/06/2026 15:44 - Actualidad
Argentina has taken a decisive step in security matters with the launch of the National Counterterrorism Center (CNA), an organization that marks a before and after in how threats are prevented. The model, inspired by the fusion centers created in the United States after September 11, bets on something that was notably absent until now: real coordination among all security forces.
The CNA does not conduct raids, does not process, does not sign. Its mission is more subtle but equally crucial: detect patterns, connect dots, and anticipate risks. It operates with a Watch Center active 24 hours a day and is structured around three essential areas: danger detection, analysis, and alert dissemination.
For the first time in Argentine history, these institutions share the same working table. Understanding local context is key:
| Organization | Role for Foreign Readers |
|---|---|
| Federal Forces | Argentina's national police and security agencies, including Federal Police (PFA), Gendarmerie (border security), and Naval Prefecture (coast guard) |
| UIF (Unidad de Información Financiera) | Financial Intelligence Unit – tracks money laundering and terrorist financing, similar to FinCEN in the U.S. |
| Migraciones | National Migration Office – controls borders and monitors entry/exit of individuals |
| Ministry of Defense | Coordinates military intelligence and strategic defense planning |
| SIDE (Secretaría de Inteligencia del Estado) | Argentina's national intelligence agency, equivalent to a combination of CIA and domestic intelligence services |
The precedent explaining this change is compelling: September 11 was not an intelligence failure. The United States had the data, but agencies were unwilling to share it. From that wound, fusion centers were born – a network designed to integrate and cross-reference information across jurisdictions and government levels.
The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center, operating since 1998, has demonstrated that in 76% of mass attacks, the perpetrator had shown behaviors that concerned those around them. The problem was never the lack of signals, but rather having no one to collect them.
Argentina knows the cost of arriving late. The 1992 and 1994 attacks left wounds that remain open. For international context: in 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 29 people. In 1994, the AMIA (Argentine Israelite Mutual Association) Jewish community center was attacked, killing 85 people – the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentine history. The CNA represents the first serious attempt to move beyond fragmented responses and build a proactive system.
On June 12, 2026, 23 professionals participated in the first school threat prevention workshop. The evaluation was unanimous: five out of five. Additionally, 74% volunteered to continue as referents and requested a permanent federal network of liaisons.
Every useful indicator is immediately forwarded to those who must investigate it. What is produced is not stored: it is distributed to the Nation and the provinces. An early warning that arrives late is no longer a warning – it's an autopsy.
Information based on the report by Informe Digital (June 27, 2026).
Alfredo S. Quiroga
