Central America

Juan Pappier, Human Rights Watch: Latin America needs an alternative to Bukele’s security plans

Juan Pappier, America’s Acting Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch, remarked in an article published in El Pais newspaper that “Latin America urgently needs an alternative to Bukele’s security plans.” In Latin America, the lack of an effective and legitimate response to insecurity and crime is putting the lives of … Read more

The Cargo Ferry Between El Salvador and Costa Rica to Begin Operations on August 10

The cargo ferry between El Salvador and Costa Rica will start operating on August 10, 2023. The ferry will have two departures, Monday and Thursday, from La Union Port in El Salvador to Caldera Port in Costa Rica. Blue Wave Corporation indicated that a third weekly trip could be added … Read more

Latin America’s Criminal Bankers: Explaining Colombians’ Monopoly on Gota-a-Gota

Three cases in recent weeks highlight how Colombian groups continue to dominate gota-a-gota loansharking schemes across Central and South America, thanks to a mixture of experience, access to financing, and drug trafficking connections. Anti-crime operations in Peru, Panama, and El Salvador in July have taken down loansharking operations with Colombian ties. The largest bust took place in El Salvador … Read more

The Imprisonment of Jose Ruben Zamora is an Attack on the Press and a Bellwether for Democracy

Over the past year, the government of President Alejandro Giammattei has engaged in desperate attempts to criminalize journalism in Guatemala. Among the lowest points of this campaign has been the imprisonment and sentencing of prominent investigative journalist José Rubén Zamora. As part of a broad government crackdown to silence and disempower those whose work threatens entrenched corrupt power, Zamora’s … Read more

Shark Fin Trade Thriving in Latin America, Despite Promises of Progress

With record shark fin seizures continuing across Latin America, legislative efforts to protect sharks are being impeded by a lack of resources and the large criminal profits being generated. Panama netted its largest-ever shark fin seizure this month, nabbing 6.79 tons of shark fins on July 13 near Capira, a town southwest of Panama City. Five Panamanian citizens were … Read more

Small Towns in El Salvador: Experiencing Their Culture, History, Local Flavors, and Hospitality

The small towns in El Salvador offer visitors a combination of modern amenities in a colonial setting that fully displays the country’s history and culture. In these towns, visitors can see glimpses of the country’s past, such as the colonial times and, most recently, the armed conflict of the 1980s. … Read more

InSightCrime: Guatemala Elites Meddle Again in Presidential Election, Suspending Results

Guatemala’s highest court has suspended the results of the presidential elections as the country’s elite corruption networks mount a last-gasp attempt to cling to political power. A review of the first round of voting was underway on July 4 after Guatemala’s Constitutional Court (Corte de Constitucionalidad) ruled in favor of nine political parties that appealed the first round results, citing potential … Read more