A Guatemala Arrest, a US Indictment, and a Mexico Attack

Following the arrest of a former Mexican mayor in Guatemala, US prosecutors unveiled an indictment against him and criminal rivals allegedly attacked the town he once ruled.

Guatemala Self-Defense Groups Reminder of Security Concerns

Authorities in Guatemala fear that self-defense groups operating in response to a lack of state presence may turn into criminal organizations engaged in illicit activities, something authorities throughout the region…

In El Salvador, a Thin Line Between Community Policing and Vigilantism

Authorities in El Salvador are keen to expand a much-praised local policing model believed to have helped two rural communities tackle bloody gang control. But a visit to the areas…

Why Latin America Dominates Global Homicide Rankings

Year after year, Latin America and the Caribbean dominate global city and country homicide rankings. But what sets this corner of the world apart from the rest? And what makes…

Mexico's Michoacán a Tangle of Rivals

The decline of the Caballeros Templarios has left Michoacán at the mercy of a tangle of rivals, none of whom appear able to reassert the supremacy that previously imposed a…

Apparent Extrajudicial Execution in Mexico Adds to the Growing List

A video of what appears to be a series of extrajudicial killings by a Mexican police officer in the border city of Reynosa is yet another example of how a…

Mexico Authorities Schizophrenic on Self-Defense Groups

The presence of armed civilian self-defense groups across Mexico will only cause "anarchy," according to the country's interior minister. His recent comments underscore a lack of coherent public policy on…

El Salvador Strikes against Death Squads Led by Army, Police

Police and army officials were among those arrested in El Salvador's biggest opperation against anti-gang death squads in recent memory, as the authorities finally move against the deadly militias that…

Mexico Vigilantes Use Gruesome Facebook Video to Promote Their Cause

A self-defense group in Mexico has turned to social media to boast about its members' efforts to take justice into their own hands, a reminder of the complex role…

Mexico Police Killings Illustrate Failures of Vigilantism in Michoacán

Police forces in Mexico's state of Michoacán have increasingly been subject to attacks, a reminder of the ongoing security crisis affecting the region and the government's shortsighted response to local…

Bad Idea: El Salvador Discusses Arming Civilians to Combat Crime

The heads of El Salvador's executive and legislative branches are discussing the possibility of having the state arm community groups in the country's interior in order to combat the MS13…

El Salvador Self-Defense Group Poses Potential Security Concerns

A self-defense group operating in a rural community of El Salvador is asking for formal legal recognition, a reminder of security concerns elsewhere in the region caused by similar non-state actors…