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