News Analysis

Ponzi and Pyramid Schemes Spread Across Caribbean

A new investigative report shows Ponzi and pyramid schemes have proliferated across Caribbean countries during the pandemic, and authorities have…

Battle for Guatemala’s Top Courts Intensifies

The naming of judges to Guatemala's high courts has turned into an escalating fight between political elites seeking to stack…

How Brazil’s Borders Became More Diverse, Dangerous

Criminal dynamics in Brazil, particularly its drug trafficking routes, have been shaken up in recent years by the rapid expansion…

Prison Break Lays Bare Haiti Gang Leader’s Ties to Elites

A gang leader killed after a deadly Haiti prison break may have been sprung intentionally — raising further concerns about…

Stay Frosty: Further Innovations in Drug Trafficking

Corn flakes “frosted” in cocaine and fentanyl pills hidden inside toys might make for amusing headlines, but these recent discoveries…

Plots of Amazon Rainforest Illegally Sold on Facebook

A new investigation has revealed how large swathes of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest are being illegally sold on Facebook, with some…

Parrots, Toucans and Monkeys Delivered Across Mexico

Illegally buying endangered species via social media has grown increasingly convenient in Mexico, especially given its feeble environmental controls and…

Buenaventura’s Everlasting Cycle of Violence Continues in Colombia

Residents of Buenaventura, a port city in western Colombia, have bveen caught in a crossfire between two warring criminal structures.

Criminal Groups Clear Colombia’s Forests One Hectare at a Time

Illegal loggers and land grabbers in Colombia have begun clearing small, isolated patches of forest to avoid being spotted from…

Organized Crime and the Environment in Latin America: A Fatal Encounter

Latin America’s forests are being cut down at an accelerating rate. Asian markets are driving a trade in wildlife products,…

Wildlife Under Threat: Traffickers Target Colombia’s Vital Fauna

Colombia is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, home to some 1,800 species of birds, 600 species of amphibians,…

LatAm Crime Groups Set Sights on Europe’s Bustling Cocaine Market

With higher profits and lower risks than the United States, Europe has emerged recently as arguably the most important cocaine…