Clik here to view.
Limits to the Violence Deterrence Strategy in Mexico
A new report from a prominent analyst of regional security issues provides a detailed analysis of the limitations of a deterrence-based strategy in Mexico, something the Peña Nieto administration seems...
View ArticleClik here to view.
'No State Presence' In Bolivia's Jails: Morales
Following a prison riot in Bolivia that killed more than 30 people and revelations about the jails' mini-service economies and extortion rackets, President Evo Morales said the country's penitentiaries...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ecuador Loan Sharking Groups Bear Resemblance to Colombia's 'Oficinas'
Authorities in Ecuador are investigating whether two partially dismantled networks of loan sharks -- one with Colombian members -- are also involved in hired assassination, a structure that would bear...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Major Phone Network Used in Extortion in El Salvador: Report
El Salvador gangs are using a poorly regulated money transfer system provided by one of the region's major cellular phone networks to facilitate extortion, illustrating the continued bilking of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
More Evidence of 'Pay-for-Pardons' Emerges in Peru
An investigation in Peru has exposed the pardoning of an entire drug trafficking ring, expanding the probe into allegations that members of President Alan Garcia's administration took bribes to lower...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Do Stricter Gun Laws Reduce Gun Violence in Latin America?
Latin America has some of the highest gun homicide rates in the world, despite certain countries having relatively strict gun control laws, raising the question: to what extent, if any, does tighter...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Authorities Dismantle Child Trafficking Network in Venezuela
Authorities in Venezuela have arrested four suspected members of a child trafficking network that used a children's foundation as a cover operation, highlighting the country's involvement in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Guatemala Introduces Pre-Trial Detention for Weapons Charges
Anyone caught carrying a gun in Guatemala will go straight to jail following an amendment to the criminal code, though it is questionable to what extent this will positively impact citizen security....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Honduras is a 'Fantastic' Anti-Drugs Partner: SouthCom
US and Honduran security forces have a superb relationship, US Southern Command has said, even as Congress holds up millions in aid to due to serious human rights concerns about the military and police...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Peña Nieto Highlights Drop in Murders in State of the Union Speech
Mexican homicides have dropped 13 percent in a year, according to official figures, though this is not necessarily great cause for celebration. In his first State of the Union Address, President...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Brazil's Military Police: Calls for Demilitarization
There is a trend throughout Latin America of increasingly using militaries to carry out law enforcement duties. In the case of Brazil, the government is using established Military Police to carry out...
View ArticleClik here to view.
LatAm Drug Traffickers Expanding Into Asia: US
Latin American drug traffickers are increasingly turning to Asia, according to the US State Department, as changing market dynamics and law enforcement pressure fuel criminal migration. On a visit to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Knights Templar Extortion Halts Construction of Michoacan Prison
Attempts by the Knights Templar to extort a company building a federal prison in Mexico's Michoacan state have resulted in workers abandoning the site over threats, highlighting the extent of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Assault Against Urabeños Reveals Group's Move into Venezuela
A police offensive against the Urabeños in north Colombia has drawn attention to the narco-paramilitary gang's operations on both sides of the Colombia-Venezuela border and their growing strength in a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Peru Investigates 19 Politicians for Narco Ties
Peruvian officials have revealed that 19 politicians are under investigation for drug trafficking ties, underscoring Peru's vulnerability to the sort of narco infiltration of politics common elsewhere...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Mara Women: Gender Roles in CentAm Street Gangs
A study of gender roles in Central America's "maras" sheds light on the dual role of women, who are simultaneously violently exploited and heavily relied on by male gang members. The study "Violent and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Uruguay Dismantles Ring Smuggling Chinese Migrants
Authorities in Uruguay have dismantled a network that smuggled Chinese migrants from Brazil to Argentina, highlighting the flow of migrants and human trafficking victims through the Southern Cone. The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Brother of Zetas Leader Sentenced to 20 Years for Money Laundering
The brother of captured Zetas leader Z40 has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for money laundering by a US court, as the top level of the Zetas command continues to unravel. In May, Jose Treviño...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Central America to Integrate Fight Against Organized Crime
The governments of Central America have announced plans to create a regional body to centralize security initiatives, a move that may help tackle the free movement of criminal groups across national...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Last Rites for Guatemala's Anti-Impunity Crusaders CICIG?
Guatemala's international anti-impunity body CICIG is now entering its final months of existence under the new leadership of a veteran Colombian investigator, but with the commission's many enemies...
View Article