Venezuela's Police Reform Unlikely to Halt Corrupt Ties to Organized Crime

A long-touted police reform in Venezuela would likely have a limited impact on rampant corruption in the ranks.

How Religious Militias and Warrior Mentalities Mix in Rio de Janeiro

Brazil's city of Rio de Janeiro is suffering a major security crisis, as gender and religion affect organized crime in the city.

Corrupt Police Play Both Sides in Guanajuato, Mexico

Police in Guanajuato, Mexico, are accused of being in the pocket of the Jalisco Cartel. But do they have a choice?…

Why is Brazil’s Highway Police Suddenly Killing So Many People?

Under President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's highway police seems to have become a brutal instrument of death.

Ecuador's Police Being Assassinated in Record Numbers

Ecuadorian gangs are taking another page from the playbook of crime groups in Mexico and Colombia, stepping up targeted killings of police officers in drug trafficking hotspots.

Venezuela Kidnappers Posing as Car Sellers to Lure Victims

The Venezuelan police have stepped in amid a spate of violent crimes caused by gang members pretending to sell cars online. The offer: people can use police stations to finalize…

Severed Pig Heads - Widespread Cartel Threats Against Mexican Police

Criminal groups in Mexico are posting in public lists of police they plan to kill, and the message often comes with a macabre symbol -- a severed pig head.

São Paulo Police Wearing Cameras Killed Nobody in June

Killings connected to a number of military police units in São Paulo fell to zero in June 2021 due to a simple innovation: body cameras.

How Mexico's Drug Trade Has Evolved Over a Century

Misconceptions surrounding Mexico's drug trade have long been replicated in popular culture and public discourses.

Killing of Brazil's Top Militia Leader Raises More Questions Than it Answers

Rio de Janeiro’s foremost militia leader has been gunned down by police, potentially shattering the belief that militias in the city were protected due to connections with authorities. But was…

Why Mexico’s National Guard Remains Vastly Unqualified

Over 90 percent of active personnel in Mexico’s National Guard remain uncertified two years after the police body’s creation, marking the failure of a signature goal of Mexican President Andrés…

Rage, Rinse, Repeat - The Futile Cycle of Anger at Rio's Police

The stranger burst into the house, staggering and leaving a trail of blood behind him. He ran into the back, into the bedroom of the nine-year-old girl. Police were not…