Ceará Gang Truce Shows Brazil Government Could Be Common Enemy
The northern state of Ceará in Brazil has become a battlefield after government plans to clamp down on gang-controlled prisons were met with an unlikely alliance of criminal groups, showing…
Women, Youth Primed for Gang Recruitment in Venezuela
A new report from a Venezuela non-governmental organization working on migration issues shows that Colombia's criminal groups have been recruiting Venezuelans into their ranks at an accelerated rate.
Venezuela and Turkey Unite to Profit from Amazonian "Blood Gold"
Dozens of massacres and a sprawling organized crime structure are behind a recent alliance between the governments of Venezuela and Turkey to extract, refine and market the "blood gold" that…
FARC Dissidents Growing Faster Than Colombia Can Count
Two Colombian intelligence reports, published three months apart, show contradictions in the number of ex-FARC Mafia and their rate of expansion, although they both agree these splinter groups are growing.
Marielle Franco Insights Show Grim Banality of Brazil Violence
New information about the murder of a Rio de Janeiro city councilor may finally bring her killers to justice, but this provides little cause for long-term optimism.
Inside the Mafia-Run Cocaine Network Shattered by European Police
In early December, authorities dramatically curtailed the power of the Pelle-Vottari clan - a grouping within the formidable ‘Ndrangheta mafia — arresting Domenico Pelle along with 89 others associated with…
Venezuela Coastal State Could Be Hot New Drug Trafficking Route
Venezuelan authorities seized six major drug shipments during the month of November in the eastern state of Anzoátegui, potentially indicating an increase in drug flow through the coastal area due…
New Brazil Cabinet Sets Up Tug of War Between Military and Judiciary
The composition of Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro’s national security team has confirmed that his tough stance on violent crime continues to be a priority. However, other appointments including his justice…
‘Drug regulation must be tackled at the regional level’: Ricardo Lagos
Few topics seem to be gaining as much traction, or courting as much controversy, across the Americas as the regulation of drugs.
New Corruption Case More Trouble for Embattled Former Honduras President
A new investigation has involved Ramón Lobo Sosa, brother of former Honduras president Honduras Porfirio Lobo, in a corruption scheme that diverted funds from the president’s party to private individuals.
Tobacco Cartel May Mark Shift in Mexico Underworld
The rise of a new cartel that strong-arms vendors to sell homegrown cigarette brands in large parts of Mexico has sparked concern about criminal organizations seeking fresh income streams amidst…
Witness Protection in El Chapo Trial Becoming Legal Ping-Pong
With the trial of Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias “El Chapo,” set to begin on November 5, fears over whether jurors and witnesses can be kept safe are…