Latin America
Costa Rica Declares El Salvador Ferry Project Unviable After Failing to Attract Bidders
LA LIBERTAD, El Salvador — A long-promised maritime link between El Salvador and Costa Rica has stalled indefinitely, with Costa Rican authorities declaring the project unviable after no private company agreed to take on the service. Verny Jiménez, director of … Read more
From Ink to Injustice: Gangs, Tattoos, and America’s Due Process Breakdown
Daisy Rodriguez has seen her husband, Santos, just once in the last two years. She flew down to his homeland, Guatemala, where they spent a few days hiking around the country’s spectacular lakes and volcanoes. It was beautiful, she said. … Read more
Trump Tariffs Take Effect, Triggering New Chapter in Global Trade War
LA LIBERTAD, El Salvador — A sweeping new set of tariffs ordered by President Donald Trump took effect Thursday, intensifying the administration’s hardline trade strategy and sending shockwaves through international markets. The move caps months of stalled negotiations and signals … Read more
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