Colombia Unconvincingly Walks Back Controversial Military Plan
New orders from Colombia’s military leadership showing a possible return to policies that previously led to a wave of extrajudicial killings has sown further discord when it comes to the…
Corruption Leaves Ecuador’s Prisoners Facing Precarious Conditions
The intoxication of 204 inmates in a prison in Ecuador is the latest revelation of deep-seated corruption inside the country’s prison system, where surrender of state control to gangs has…
In Venezuela, Crime Literally Doesn’t Pay
The economic crisis in Venezuela has seen criminal gangs find ways to turn chaos into opportunity. But the situation has now become so severe that gangs are also facing leaner…
Mexico’s Criminal Asset Forfeiture Plan Faces Teething Problems
Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has promised to use assets seized from criminal actors to fund a wave of social spending. This novel shift of a longstanding practice in…
Brazil Prisons Become Battlegrounds for Familia do Norte Civil War
A turf war among the founders of Familia do Norte, northern Brazil’s most powerful crime group, has left dozens of prisoners dead and will have major implications for criminal gang…
The Increasing Dangers Facing Latin America’s Park Rangers
A park ranger’s shooting in Costa Rica and the slaying of another in a Colombian reserve show the dangers rangers face in protected areas -- as diverse in flora and…
What’s Behind the Killings of Mexico’s Mayors?
Cartel killings of mayors in Mexico have reached record numbers, but the motivations behind them are not as simple as “plata o plomo,” meaning silver or lead -- a choice…
Argentina’s Corrupt Federal Police: A Few Bad Apples?
The arrest of the federal police chief in Argentina's strategically located province of Santa Fe on drug trafficking charges has forced authorities to once again deny that corruption is endemic…
In Colombia, Loan Sharking is Now Just a Click Away
The longtime loan sharking tactic in Colombia known as “gota a gota,” or drop by drop, has entered the digital age -- as criminal groups are now using mobile apps…
For Medellín’s Oficina Capos, the Shuffle is Part of the Game
Authorities in Colombia have recently arrested three leaders of the Oficina de Envigado, a mafia that began under Pablo Escobar and has long controlled the city’s underworld since his death.
Why US Aid Cuts to Central America Will Help Organized Crime
In late March, President Donald Trump followed up on his threat to suspend US aid to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, He had repeatedly made this pledge, stating that these…
Seuxis Pausías Hernández, alias ‘Jesús Santrich’
Seuxis Pausías Hernández Solarte, alias “Jesús Santrich,” is a former rebel commander who has taken up arms again as part of a new dissident force made up of ex-leaders of…
About InSight Crime
Strategic Communications Manager Job Description
InSight Crime is looking for a full-time strategic communications manager. This person needs to be able to work in a fast-paced world of daily news, high-profile investigations, national and international…
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InSight Crime Events – Border Crime: The Northern Triangle and Tri-Border Area
Through several rounds of extensive field investigations, our researchers have analyzed and mapped out the main illicit economies and criminal groups present in 39 border departments spread across the six countries of study – the Northern Triangle trio of Guatemala, Honduras, and El…
InSight Crime’s ‘Memo Fantasma’ Investigation Wins Simón Bolívar National Journalism Prize
The staff at InSight Crime was awarded the prestigious Simón Bolívar national journalism prize in Colombia for its two-year investigation into the drug trafficker known as “Memo Fantasma,” which was…
InSight Crime – From Uncovering Organized Crime to Finding What Works
This project began 10 years ago as an effort to address a problem: the lack of daily coverage, investigative stories and analysis of organized crime in the Americas. …
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