News Analysis

Killings in Cali: What is to Blame for the Spike?

Convulsed by nearly eight weeks of anti-government protests, the Colombian city of Cali has also experienced a terrible surge in…

Memo Fantasma, Colombia’s Underworld Ghost, is Captured in Bogotá

Guillermo León Acevedo Giraldo, alias “Memo Fantasma,” a former paramilitary leader and longtime drug trafficker who escaped prosecution for decades…

Honduran Fugitive More Money Launderer than MS13 Leader

Prosecutors in Honduras say they will ask Nicaragua to extradite an alleged MS13 leader who has been on the lam…

El Koki's Victory – An Urban Invasion in Caracas

El Coqui seemed to be comfortable. Caracas’ foremost gang boss had, for several years, dominated the sprawling neighborhood of Cota…

What Will Gabino's Departure Mean for the ELN?

The retirement of the ELN's top commander and political leader may have sweeping implications for the guerrilla group as it…

Hashish: New Player in Brazil Drug Markets

In stopping a European sailboat, Brazilian authorities have made a record seizure of marijuana resin, also known as hashish, revealing…

‘Blue’: The Story of MS13’s First ‘Terrorist’

On the eve of the extradition of top leaders of El Salvador’s feared Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) gang to the United…

Fishing Village Caught in Crosshairs of Ecuador Drug Gangs

In Ecuador’s coastal town of Posorja, boats are being set on fire and people are being killed, as this fishing…

ICU Beds Trafficked in Peru Amidst COVID-19 Spike

As Peru reels from having the worst COVID-19 caseload in the world, criminals are extorting the families of patients in…

High-Profile Corruption Probe Tests Costa Rica’s Justice System

At a time when elites are undermining anti-graft efforts across Central America, prosecutors in Costa Rica have launched a far-reaching…

Cartel War or General Chaos: Behind the Killing Spree in Reynosa, Mexico

Though the motive for the rampage in the northern Mexican border city of Reynosa that left scores of civilians dead…

Honduras Army Faces Backlash After Continued Prison Violence

A massacre between the Barrio 18 and MS13 gangs in Honduras’ most notorious prison raises questions on whether the military…