News Analysis

Barbados at Crossroads with Rising Homicide Rate

With its homicide rates higher than ever in 2019 and 2020, Barbados is now confronting a difficult question: will it…

Timber Mafias at Ecuador’s Borders Cash in on Balsa Boom

Timber mafias operating along Ecuador’s borders with Peru and Colombia have been profiting from thriving demand for balsa wood.

Demobilized But Not Disarmed, Colombia Paramilitaries Continue Extorting

Several demobilized members of a notorious right-wing paramilitary group in Colombia passed themselves off as a new self-defense force and…

Church Leaders in Mexico Struggle to Stem Michoacán Bloodshed

The Catholic Church has played a central role in negotiating peace between Mexican drug cartels. But religious leaders in Michoacán…

No Sloth Selfies - The Rush to Protect Latin America's Slowest Mammal

While Latin America is home to the trafficking of all manner of species, several foundations are working to save arguably…

Why Did Bolivia's Former Interior Minister Get Arrested in the US?

Bolivia's controversial former interior minister and his chief of staff have both been arrested in the United States on charges…

How International Narcos Rebuild Their Lives in Brazil

Court cases. Hitmen. Interpol. International drug traffickers sometimes need to get away from it all. Brazil has sought to cater…

Grapes of Wrath - Why Argentina and Brazil are Awash in Smuggled Wine

While contraband has boomed at the Argentina-Brazil border during the COVID-19 pandemic, wine seems to have been in particularly high…

Peru Massacre Highlights Desperation of Weakened Shining Path Rebels

Authorities in Peru have sent troops to an isolated river valley at the heart of the country’s cocaine trade after…

Mexico's Unreachable Elites Targeted by Rare Corruption Investigation

A corruption investigation revealed earlier this week offers a rare chance for Mexico to confront long-rumored bribery between the highest…

Mafia Boss Claims Venezuela-Turkey Cocaine Connection

A Turkish mafia boss has claimed cocaine is being trafficked directly from Venezuela to Turkey in a viral video, pointing…

The Leones' Revenge - How an Extortion Attempt Went Badly Wrong in Guatemala

A settling of scores in Guatemala left at least eight people dead after the son of a long-dead druglord took…