United States removes radioactive cobalt-60 source from Guatemala

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) have successfully removed a highly radioactive cobalt-60 source from Guatemala. The material, which was housed inside a disused U.S.-origin medical teletherapy machine used for cancer treatment, was transported to secure storage in the United States.

Officials stated the operation was conducted to mitigate the risk of the material being stolen and used to create a “dirty bomb.” The removal process, which began in May, involved specialists from the NNSA’s Los Alamos National Laboratory working alongside Guatemalan officials from the National Centre of Radioactive Wastes and the Ministry of Energy and Mines, who provided logistical and physical security support.

The mission aligns with the U.S. 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy, which prioritizes preventing terrorists from acquiring chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons as a critical national security responsibility.