In Central America’s Northern Triangle, organized crime has permeated national politics by corrupting local governments. This series presents the stories of three mayors in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, exploring the links between power, drug trafficking rings, gangs and corruption.
Guatemala Mayor ‘Tres Kiebres’: The Art of Being ‘3 Times Broken’
The atmosphere was light, almost jovial, as Ipala's Mayor Esduin Javier turned to the next item on the agenda. The issue was what the people at the municipality's monthly town…
A Honduras Political Clan and Its Criminal Fiefdom
It was around midnight that police in a rural area of the northern department of Olancho first heard the distinctive buzz of a low-flying aircraft. Night duty officers in three…
Symbiosis: Gangs and Municipal Power in Apopa, El Salvador
Stories such as that of the former mayor of the El Salvador municipality of Apopa, José Elías Hernández, or "Old Timer" as the gangs knew him, are increasingly…
Related Content
In our August 17 Facebook Live session, Senior Investigator Héctor Silva Ávalos and Senior Editor Mike LaSusa spoke about a…
Former President Otto Perez Molina's move from presidential palace to prison provides a true test for Guatemala's notoriously corrupt…
El Salvador's street gangs were reportedly involved in a criminal network that trafficked weapons into the country, a worrying…
Support Our Work
Investigating organized crime is an expensive and often risky enterprise. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. Please donate. Every dollar supports our mission.
DONATE NOW