Latin America
The Growing Influence of Organized Crime in Latin American Politics
Criminal organizations showed this past year that they pose a growing threat to democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean, exerting nefarious influence over numerous elections and political situations throughout the region. Some criminal groups directly threatened or killed candidates and elected officials, depriving citizens of their right to a freely chosen … Read more
How Ecuador’s Gang Dynamics Are Driving Record Homicide Rates
The recent killing of a prominent Ecuadorian gang leader may further fuel violence in Durán, one of the country’s most violent municipalities and the drug gateway to the port of Guayaquil. Assassins attacked Antonio Benjamín Camacho, alias “Ben 10,” in the early morning of December 28 in Cali´s Granada neighborhood, Colombian police sources told media outlet El Tiempo … Read more
The Surge in Extortion in Honduras: How New Criminal Players Are Shaping the Landscape
Extortion appears to be increasing in Honduras as smaller gangs fill the gap left by larger groups who are retreating from the criminal economy. At the same time, arrests for extortion are falling, indicating growing impunity for this predatory criminal activity. Over 300,000 households reported that they paid extortion to one or more criminal … Read more
The US-Mexico Border Under Trump: What Trump’s Harsh Immigration Policy Means for the Border’s Crime
President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to clamp down on undocumented migrants could play into the hands of criminal groups who stand to profit from higher prices and fresh opportunities if the chaos and confusion expected from his second administration transpire. While the specifics of Trump’s migrant policy are not yet known, the broad strokes appear … Read more
Ecuador Crime Profile: A Deep Dive into Criminal Networks, Prisons, and the Justice System
Ecuador is one of the region’s most significant drug trafficking hubs, used to dispatch Colombian and Peruvian cocaine to Europe, Mexico, and Central America. It has long been the site of operations for Mexican, Colombian, and European drug trafficking organizations, and Colombian guerrilla groups in its northern border … Read more
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
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