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Summit Co-hosts
Brazil
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Fabiano Coelho Undersecretary of Customs Administration, Special Secretariat of the Federal Revenue
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Tax Auditor at the Brazilian Federal Revenue since 1997. Holds a degree in Business Administration (UFMG), a Master’s in Innovation and Competitiveness, and is a PhD candidate in Public Administration (University of Lisbon). Former Head of Departments, Division Head, and Coordinator (RFB Customs), Head of Customs at Viracopos and Guarulhos Airports, and Deputy Superintendent (8th Region). Currently Undersecretary of Customs Administration. |
TRACIT
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Jeffrey P. Hardy Director-General of TRACIT
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Jeff Hardy is the Director-General of the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade, where he manages a unique multi-sector business approach to mitigating illicit trade worldwide. Before joining TRACIT, he served as the Director of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP), where he united the global business community to fight illicit trade in the forms of trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy. He also directed the ICC G20 CEO Advisory Group, where he coordinated international business priorities on the G20 policy agenda. Jeff has long been an advocate for open and fair trade. |
Participating Customs Delegates
Senior Customs officials from across the Americas participate in the Summit to share operational insights, strengthen cooperation, and advance efforts against illicit trade.
Argentina
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Diego Carlos Figueroa Deputy Director General for Customs Control
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Diego Carlos Figueroa is a lawyer graduated from the University of Buenos Aires and currently serves as Deputy Director General of Customs Control at Argentina’s General Customs Directorate. He leads a team of 660 agents and oversees key areas such as investigations, risk management, valuation, and narcotics. He acts as a liaison with the Economic Criminal Justice system and international bodies like HSI. With over 25 years of experience, he has held strategic roles across the country. |
Aruba
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Roderick Croes Director of Customs
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Roderick Croes L.M. has served as Director of Customs of Aruba since 2015. Starting as a Customs officer in 1999, he advanced through dedication and training. With a master’s in Fiscal Law and experience at the Tax Office, he modernized customs operations, reduced clearance times, and improved revenue. He also strengthened regional cooperation and continues to enhance border security and trade efficiency. |
Bolivia
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Alberto Samuel Soto De La Vía Presidente de la Aduana Nacional
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Alberto Samuel Soto de la Vía holds a degree in Business Administration and a diploma in Administration and Projects. Born in Cochabamba, he began his career in international trade and later built a strong trajectory at the National Customs, serving as Customs Administrator in airports, inland offices, and free zones. In November 2025, he was appointed Executive President, leading modernization, trade facilitation, and anti-corruption efforts. |
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
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Claudia Toet Director Customs and Tax
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Claudia Toet is Director of Tax and Customs for the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba). She is responsible for tax administration, customs supervision, border management and trade facilitation in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. She promotes regional cooperation, modernization and effective enforcement to support secure borders and legitimate trade. |
Canada
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Glen Pereira First Secretary Customs Liaison
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Glen Pereira is the Canada Border Services Liaison Officer posted to Brazil. Prior to this assignment, he served in West Africa, covering 13 countries in the region from Accra Ghana. His 25 years with the CBSA bring experience in border mgmt., data analysis, national security, intelligence & enforcement: targeting transnational organized crime. He has also worked on CBSA’s Partners in Protection (PIP) program, developing expertise in trade chain security & AEO mutual recognition processes. His home base is Vancouver Canada. |
Cuba
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Wiliam Pérez González Vice Jefe Primero de la AGR
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Wiliam Pérez González has served as First Deputy Head of the General Customs of Cuba since 2024. A Law graduate and PhD candidate in Pedagogical Sciences, he joined the institution in 2006 and has held senior roles since. He leads border security and trade facilitation efforts and is actively involved in international programs with the UN, WCO, and INTERPOL. |
Dominican Republic
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Raquel Elia Soriano Abreu Deputy Director General
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Raquel Elia Soriano Abreu is Deputy Director General of the Dominican Republic Customs Authority, where she leads strategic efforts to prevent smuggling and customs fraud. She has extensive experience in Customs Intelligence and international cooperation, including collaboration with ICE. She holds a degree in Marketing and master’s degrees in National Security and Defense from the Dominican Republic and Spain. |
Ecuador
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Luis Landivar Olvera Deputy Director General of Customs
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Economist with a Master’s degree in Economics, specializing in Public Expenditure, from the Complutense University of Madrid, and an MBA with a concentration in Strategic Project Management. Brings a comprehensive perspective across both public and private sector management, with expertise in planning, finance, international auditing, and strategic leadership within the private sector. |
El Salvador
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Jose Benjamin Mayorga Osorio Director General of Customs
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José Benjamín Mayorga Osorio is the current Director of Customs of El Salvador. A lawyer with a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance, he promotes the modernization of customs processes and trade facilitation through interinstitutional collaboration. He highlights the implementation of the Authorized Economic Operator Program, benefiting various companies, as well as the creation of a Code of Ethics. His commitment to innovation includes the development of the Integrated Customs Intelligence Center. |
Guatemala
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Edwin Orlando Curtidor Juarez Customs Intendant
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Edwin Orlando Curtidor Juárez is a Certified Public Accountant and Auditor from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala, with postgraduate studies in administration, tax law, customs management, and security. He has over 26 years of experience in the Customs Administration, holding technical, supervisory, and leadership roles. He currently serves as Superintendent of Customs, playing a key role in intelligence, control, and the fight against smuggling. |
Jamaica
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Dr. Velma Ricketts Walker CEO & Commissioner of Customs
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Dr. Velma Ricketts Walker, CEO & Commissioner of the JCA since 2017, is a visionary leader with over 25 years’ experience in customs, border protection, and trade facilitation. She modernized the JCA, achieved ISO 9001:2015 Certification in Quality Management System, strengthened partnerships, and advanced digitalization. A dedicated public servant, she also contributes to national, regional, and community development. |
Nicaragua
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Danys Antonio Ortiz Director General of Customs
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Danys Ortiz Pérez is a lawyer and notary, specializing in tax law, customs management, and managerial administration. He serves as Deputy Legal Director and Assistant Criminal Prosecutor at the Customs Authority (DGA), with extensive experience in customs offenses, control, and auditing. He is also a lecturer in a master’s program and a member of a drafting committee for regional legal instruments. |
The Netherlands
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M.J.M (Mechteld) Fletcher Plv. Director General Douane
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Mechteld Fletcher is the Deputy Director-General of the Netherlands Customs Administration and Director of Policy, Strategy and International Affairs. She leads global strategy, international relations, and cross-department coordination. Previously CFO and CRO, she drove financial independence and strengthened risk management. She has extensive public sector experience, focusing on organizational transformation. |
Panama
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Soraya Valdivieso Director General of Customs
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Ms. Soraya Valdivieso, Director General of the National Customs Authority of Panama. She holds a degree in International Relations, with studies in Business Management (Texas) and at Florida State University. She has more than 15 years of experience in security, international trade, and project management, leading reforms and actions against illicit trade and strengthening customs security. |
Paraguay
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Juan Olmedo Director General of Customs
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Juan Francisco Olmedo Florentín holds a degree in Accounting and Administrative Sciences and currently serves as General Manager of Customs at DNIT (Paraguay). He has extensive public sector experience, having held key roles at the Vice Ministry of Taxation, including Director General of Revenue, Large Taxpayers, and coordinator of tax system reengineering processes. He also served as a postgraduate lecturer at the National University of Asunción. |
Peru
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Jorge Gallo Alvarado Deputy National Superintendent of Customs, National Superintendence of Customs and Tax Administration
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Jorge Freddy Gallo Alvarado is a senior Peruvian customs official with over 25 years of experience at SUNAT, where he has held key leadership roles and currently serves as Deputy National Superintendent of Customs. He has led major operations against transnational crime, achieving significant seizures of drugs, gold, and illicit goods. A lawyer with advanced studies in public management and tax policy, he also serves as WCO Regional Vice Chair for the Americas and the Caribbean. |
Portugal
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Helena Borges Director General of Customs
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Ms. Helena Maria José Alves Borges holds a degree in Management, a Master’s in Business Management, and advanced training in Public Management. She began her career in 1982 at the Portuguese Tax Administration and has held multiple senior roles. Since 2015, she serves as General Director of the Tax and Customs Authority. She has also represented the Ministry of Justice and participated as a speaker in EU conferences and seminars. |
Saint Lucia
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Sherman Emmanuel Comptroller of Customs
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Sherman Emmanuel is Comptroller of Saint Lucia Customs since 2023, with over 30 years of experience. He specializes in compliance, audit, and operations, having led key areas such as Enforcement and Post Clearance Audit. He is driving customs modernization, including paperless processes, risk management, and improvements in revenue collection and border security. |
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
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Selwyn Da Silva Comptroller of Customs and Excise
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Mr. Selwyn Da Silva is currently the Comptroller of the Customs and Excise Department in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Renowned for his dedication to Public Service and self-development, Mr. Da Silva is deeply committed to empowering others within the organization. His vision is to modernize the Customs Department by implementing paperless procedures, thereby creating a long-lasting legacy that will benefit future generations. |
TRACIT
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Stefano Betti Deputy Director-General of TRACIT
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Stefano Betti is TRACIT's Deputy Director General. He is a recognized expert on international security and criminal policy, Associate Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and a senior consultant to several UN entities, including the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the World Bank. Before joining TRACIT, he served as Senior Counsel in INTERPOL’s Office of Legal Affairs, where he led the organization’s legal program on illicit trade. He has also held positions at the European Parliament Secretariat, the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). At UNODC, he advised governments worldwide on implementing international treaties against terrorism, corruption, and organized crime. Stefano holds a Master's degree in EU Studies: EU Policy-Making from the London School of Economics, an honors diploma from the University of Montpellier, and a Law degree from the University of Milan. He is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Italian, he has published widely in leading international journals. |
TRACIT
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Ana Linda Solano Senior Policy Adviser
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Ana Linda Solano is TRACIT's Senior Policy Advisor. She specializes in criminal policy and major crime investigations, where she also serves as the lead expert for the gender dimension of drug trafficking and human trafficking under the European Union’s COPOLAD III Programme and the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors (AIAMP). She has also contributed to the “Women and Corruption” initiative of the EUROsociAL+ Programme and supports UNODC and the Latin American Network of Anti-Trafficking Prosecutors in the development of a compendium on corruption as a facilitating factor in human trafficking. Previously, she served as Colombia’s National Coordinator for the Counter-Narcotics Strategy with the United States. At the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia, she was the Director of Specialized Judicial Police Units. She holds a Master’s Degree in Legal Sciences from Pompeu Fabra University (Spain), where she was a Carolina Foundation fellow. Ana Linda has also pursued advanced studies in Gender, Society, and Public Policy at FLACSO Argentina and is a member of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. |
Trinidad & Tobago
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Darren Bhola Customs and Excise Supervisor
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Darren Bhola is a Customs and Excise Supervisor with the Ministry of Finance, Trinidad and Tobago, with more than 20 years of experience in customs enforcement and border security. His work focuses on leading operations, investigations, valuation and risk management initiatives to combat illicit trade and strengthen trade compliance. |
Uruguay
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Miguel Palumbo Manager of Risk Management and Control
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Public Accountant, graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Administration at the University of the Republic. He joined the General Tax Directorate in 1992, where he served as Director of the Revenue Division from 2013 to February 2025. As of March 1, 2025, he has been appointed Manager of the Control and Risk Area at the National Customs Directorate. He also served as a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Administration (UDELAR) from 1996 until December 2024. |