Latin America

Costa Rica’s Narco Scandal: Ex-Security Minister Celso Gamboa Sánchez Arrested

The recent arrest of Costa Rica’s former security minister and the revelations in his case have shed light on the corruption and drug trafficking networks engulfing the government in what may be the most significant drug scandal in the country’s … Read more

U.S. Sanctions Mexican Banks in Fentanyl Crackdown, Escalating Tensions With Mexico

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — The United States has imposed sweeping sanctions on three prominent Mexican financial institutions it accuses of laundering drug money for fentanyl traffickers. This move deepens strains in the U.S.-Mexico security relationship at a critical moment … Read more

Ecuador Captures “Fito”: What His Arrest Means for the Country’s Criminal Underworld

Ecuadorian security forces captured the country’s most notorious criminal leader in a crucial — though largely symbolic — win in its “war on gangs.” A joint operation by police and military on June 25 led to the capture of Adolfo … Read more

Will a New US-Costa Rica Extradition Agreement Help Control the Country’s Drug & Violence Problem?

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica — A new extradition agreement between Costa Rica and the United States is raising hopes—and doubts—about its potential to blunt the rising tide of drug trafficking and organized crime in the region. While hailed as a … Read more

Synthetic Drugs in Latin America: A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Top Concern

WASHINGTON — Synthetic drugs remain the top threat to U.S. public health and safety, the Drug Enforcement Administration said in its latest National Drug Threat Assessment, citing evolving criminal strategies, shifting purity levels, and a deepening convergence between narcotics and … Read more

World Bank: Crime Limits Central America’s Economic Growth—a Vicious Cycle

In Central America, crime not only takes lives—it suffocates economies. Violent and corrupt forces relentlessly drag back a region rich in culture and potential. The World Bank’s latest Latin America and Caribbean Economic Review (LACER) delivers a sobering reminder: organized … Read more

Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa: How the Right-Win President Won Re-Election and Captured Swing Voters

On April 13, 2025, 37-year-old businessman Daniel Noboa, one of the world’s youngest presidents, was re-elected as president of the Republic of Ecuador. Noboa came to office after winning 55.62 per cent of the vote in a runoff election against Luisa González, … Read more