Interpol, the global police organization, announced on Tuesday that Brazilian police official Valdecy Urquiza has been elected as the next chief. The decision was made during the general assembly meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, where Urquiza was voted in as the secretary-general. He is set to assume the role once the assembly concludes on Thursday.
Urquiza, who currently serves as Interpol's vice president for the Americas, will be the first chief of the Lyon, France-based organization who does not hail from Europe or the United States. The secretary-general of Interpol plays a crucial role in overseeing the organization's daily operations. The outgoing chief, Jürgen Stock of Germany, is ineligible for a third term as per Interpol's regulations.
In his acceptance speech, Urquiza emphasized his commitment to promoting diversity within Interpol, stating that a strong organization is one that embraces inclusivity. He highlighted the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives to enhance global security efforts.
Interpol, which boasts 196 member countries and marked its centennial anniversary last year, focuses on facilitating communication among national police forces and tracking suspects and criminals across various domains such as counterterrorism, financial crime, child pornography, cybercrime, and organized crime.
The organization faces challenges including a rising caseload of cybercrime and child exploitation, as well as growing divisions among member nations. Interpol's budget totaled approximately 176 million euros in the previous year, while the European Union's police agency, Europol, had over 200 million euros, and the FBI in the United States operated with a budget exceeding $11 billion.
