News Analysis

Ipê Trees - The Most Expensive Timber in Brazil's Amazon

Resilient, rare and incredibly lucrative, ipê trees are the unlucky bellwethers of illegal logging trends in the Brazilian Amazon.

Political Connections in El Salvador Help MS13 Leaders Escape Abroad

Amid El Salvador's brutal anti-gang crackdown, one top MS13 leader was escorted out of the country by a government official.

Yachts and Cocaine - An Annual Voyage Between Argentina and Spain

Two Argentine restaurateurs residing in Spain are wanted for allegedly using yachts to send cocaine between South America and Europe.

Rafael Caro Quintero's Capture in Mexico Celebrated and Overstated

Rafael Caro Quintero, Mexican drug lord and erstwhile head of the defunct Guadalajara Cartel, has been apprehended by Mexican authorities.

Will Death of Iván Mordisco Prove the Final Blow to FARC Dissidents in Colombia?

The death of one of the last-remaining leaders of the ex-FARC mafia may signal the disintegration of the FARC dissidents…

US Temporary Work Visas Expose Migrants to Exploitation: Report

A recent report has shed new light on how temporary work visa programs for migrant laborers can backfire.

Honduras Ex-President’s Son Murdered in Professional Hit

Son of former Honduras President Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo Sosa by a well-armed commando has shocked the country.

From Catwalk to Court Room - The Fall of a Colombian Fashion Designer

A well-known Colombian fashion designer who sold leather handbags to celebrities will be extradited from Colombia to the United States to…

What Mexico Gets Wrong About Its Fentanyl Problem

An announcement by the Mexican government about the largest seizure of illegal fentanyl in the country's history appeared to ignore…

Is El Salvador Willing to Extradite MS13 Leaders to US or Just Playing for Time?

A turnaround in El Salvador’s position on extraditing gang members has come amid US pressure and rumblings in the criminal…

Express Extortion: Easy Credit Apps Come at a High Cost In Mexico

Scammers in Mexico have yet again evolved their modus operandi by using express credit apps to extort users and drain…

Fentanyl Sold Under the Counter by Paraguay Pharmacies

Paraguayan authorities have dismantled a network of pharmacies that illegally sold morphine and fentanyl.