North America

U.S. Congressman James P. McGovern Criticizes El Salvador’s State of Exception

U.S. Congressman James P. McGovern concluded his visit to El Salvador with sharp criticism of the Bukele’s administration state of exception, which he accused of violating human rights and fostering an environment of intimidation and self-censorship. During his visit, McGovern, … Read more

U.S. Arrest Turkish Broker Linked to Venezuelan Oil Trade

The arrest of a prominent Venezuelan oil broker in the United States may signal turbulent times ahead for Nicolás Maduro’s administration following Donald Trump’s re-election. On November 2, Turkish businessman Taskin Torlak was arrested in Florida, on charges of conspiracy to transport sanctioned Venezuelan oil, the US Department of Justice reported. Torlak, who owns several shipping … Read more

Historic Guilty Plea by Bank Sheds Light on US Crackdown on Money Laundering

For the first time, a US bank has admitted to helping criminal networks in Colombia launder hundreds of millions of dollars in dirty money, highlighting the fruits of a renewed push to target those aiding the region’s money launderers. TD Bank, N.A. and TD Bank USA, N.A. pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy and violating the … Read more

The State of Emergency Strategy: Why Latin American Leaders Keep Turning to It

Several Latin American countries have recently declared or prolonged states of emergency aimed at combating organized crime, even though the results of these efforts so far have been lackluster. In the first days of October, the governments of Ecuador, Honduras, and El Salvador extended their existing states of emergency. In general, this type of measure suspends civil rights such as … Read more

DEA Under Fire for Delaying Reports on Foreign Partners’ Security Abuses

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the main agency investigating organized crime and drug trafficking for the United States government in the region, repeatedly delayed reporting human rights violations by the Latin American security forces it was partnering with, adding to a series of scandals at the world’s most influential anti-drug agency. The newest findings came from an … Read more

What Is Know About Tren de Aragua’s Growing Presence in the United States?

Tren de Aragua’s supposed expansion into the United States has received national media coverage and attention from the country’s most prominent politicians, fueling questions about the extent of the group’s presence and activities. The criminal group took advantage of the large-scale migration of Venezuelans across South America to evolve from a prison gang into a … Read more

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, Vocal Critic of Nayib Bukele, Withdraws Independent Senate Bid

This Friday, United States Democrat Senator Bob Menendez, a vocal critic of President Nayib Bukele and Bitcoin, withdrew his independent Senate Bid. “Please be advised that as an Independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in this November’s election, I am … Read more