Latin America


President Trump and Latin America

Latin America: Who wins and who loses after Trump’s victory?


On January 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump will assume office again and face familiar but evolving challenges in Latin America. Two of these challenges stand out. First, the decline of U.S. influence in the world. This tendency is confirmed in Latin America, where China and Russia are strengthening their foothold. China‘s investments in infrastructure, technology, and … Read more

Women’s rights are backsliding in Latin America

The Alarming Decline of Women’s Rights Across Latin America’s Political Spectrum


The Argentine government closed the Ministry of Women, Gender, and Diversity. It closed it. It did not downgrade it, or merely modify its organizational chart. President Javier Milei took office in December 2023 and kept his promise to eliminate it. He then opened the Sub-Secretariat of Protection against Gender Violence, under the Ministry of Human Capital … Read more

Transit over the Atanasio Girardot Bridge, Ureña, Venezuela

The Impact of the Colombia-Venezuela Border Reopening on Smuggling Dynamics


As darkness falls over Cúcuta, Colombia’s bustling border city, shadows provide cover for criminal networks. Each night, illegal dirt tracks connecting the city to Venezuela become highways for smuggling, with large quantities of goods slipping past law enforcement. “While we sleep, countless things happen in the city. And yes, smuggling is one of … Read more

Costa Rica's Homicide Rate

As of October 2024, Costa Rica’s Homicide Rate Is 2.38 per Day or 16.5 Homicides per Every 100,000 Inhabitants


In 2024, Costa Rica is maintaining a homicide rate similar to last year. The country’s current homicide rate stands at 2.38 per day or 16.5 homicides per every 100,000 inhabitants, which is slightly lower than the rate recorded in 2023. In 2023, Costa Rica’s Homicide Rate was 2.48 per day … Read more

San Jose Costa Rica at Night

Will Costa Rica Follow Ecuador’s Path? Examining the Rise of Crime in the Pura Vida Country


High levels of violence indicate how once-peaceful Costa Rica is feeling the tightening grip of cocaine trafficking. But is the Central American country on a similar path to Ecuador to the south? Costa Rica’s homicides have grown slowly over the last several years but spiked to reach a historic high in 2023 with 907 recorded killings or … Read more