Skip to content
Welcome, thoughtbot's Giant Robots listeners!Start here
Valdecy Urquiza
AI-generated illustration · Derivative of Valdecy Urquiza, Spa.sm.w, CC0 1.0
PersonBR

Valdecy Urquiza

Interpol secretary general expanding police-health cooperation on biological and other cross-border threats.

Valdecy Urquiza became Interpol secretary general in November 2024 and leads its day-to-day international police cooperation.

Last refreshed: 22 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Can WHO and INTERPOL detect deliberate biological threats quickly enough?

Timeline for Valdecy Urquiza

#15 12 Oct

Signed for Interpol and linked crime and health

Pandemics and Biosecurity: UN adopts a declaration on pandemics
View full timeline →

Background

Valdecy Urquiza is a Brazilian police official who became Interpol's secretary general in November 2024. The secretary general is the organisation's senior international civil servant and directs the General Secretariat's daily work. That office turns decisions by member countries into operational police cooperation across borders.

Urquiza oversees an organisation that helps national police share notices, intelligence and technical support. Interpol itself does not replace domestic law-enforcement agencies or make arrests. Its secretariat maintains the channels and systems through which member countries cooperate. The remit covers transnational crime and threats that cross into other fields, including public health and the trade in falsified medicines. Urquiza's role is therefore administrative and diplomatic as well as operational: he must align cooperation among member countries whose laws, police powers and national priorities differ.

Common Questions
Who is Valdecy Urquiza?
Valdecy Urquiza is Interpol's secretary general and leads the organisation's day-to-day operations.Source: INTERPOL
What does the WHO and INTERPOL health-security agreement cover?
It covers cooperation on unusual biological events, chemical and radiological incidents, and falsified medicines.Source: World Health Organization
Why is INTERPOL working with the World Health Organization?
The organisations agreed to coordinate on health threats that may be natural, accidental or deliberate and may require both public-health and police action.Source: World Health Organization
Source Material

Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 22 October 2026. Editorial standards.