28/10/2014 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Rio de Janeiro Militias Muscle in on Brazil Elections
Not only have Rio de Janeiro’s violent militia groups dramatically expanded -- growing from just six communities in 2004 to 148 today -- they have also made their presence felt in the lead-up to this Sunday’s election.
................................................................................................................................ |
24/08/2014 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Making Rio’s Pacification Work: The Limits of ‘UPP Social’
Rio de Janeiro's mayor has announced new funding and a new name for a program meant to complement the city's police "pacification" with increased social services, but it will take more than a facelift to overcome criticism of the initiative.
................................................................................................................................ |
29/06/2014 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
A Closer Look at Brazil-Bound Drug Networks
Considering that Brazil is the second-biggest market for cocaine in the world, relatively little is known about the shadowy networks that connect it to drug producing nations in the region, especially compared to the drug cartels that have become almost household names in the United States.
................................................................................................................................ |
02/06/2014 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
10 Ways Soccer and Organized Crime Mix in Latin America
Soccer has long been a unifying force in Latin America. When the World Cup begins on June 12, televisions in homes across the region will be tuned to the matches.
................................................................................................................................ |
02/05/2014 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
The Changing Face of São Paulo's 'Crackland'
After repeated failed efforts to rout the crack trade in São Paulo, the city is implementing an experimental new program which could provide a model for other drug-plagued cities in the region. But even as the city emphasizes the need for a policy based on harm reduction, police authorities are supplementing this approach with a traditional hardline attitude to drug use.
................................................................................................................................ |
01/04/2014 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Brazil's Scramble To Fight Prison Gang Reveals Strategy's Limitations
In recent months, the São Paulo state government has been attempting an almost Herculean task: limiting the power of Brazil's largest prison gang, the First Capital Command (PCC). But success in the long run will require deep structural reforms in the judicial and penal systems.
................................................................................................................................ |
19/02/2014 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Brazil - Favela Battle Reveals Complexity of Rio's Criminal Landscape
A battle for control of a favela between members of the Terceiro Comando Puro and Comando Vermelho offers a perfect illustration of the nature of criminal control and gang conflict in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While it is popular to conceptualize violence in the city as the result of battles between rival criminal groups and police, battles for local criminal dominance are also key.
................................................................................................................................ |
11/12/2013 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
The Major Hurdles for Uruguay’s Marijuana Experiment
After months of delay, Uruguay is finally on the verge of becoming the first country to regulate every aspect of the black market for marijuana. Getting the marijuana regulation bill through Congress required pressure from civil society and considerable arm-twisting within the ruling Frente Amplio (FA) coalition, but the hardest part for the government is yet to come.
................................................................................................................................ |
05/12/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
CICIG Names 18 'Judges of Impunity' in Guatemala
The United Nations-backed anti-impunity commission in Guatemala has released a report naming the 18 judges whose controversial rulings have most served the interests of organized crime, presenting a historic opportunity to tackle the embedded corruption in the country's judicial branch.
................................................................................................................................ |
24/11/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Ruta 34: Argentina's 'White Road' of Cocaine Smuggling
An investigation by Clarin reveals the lack of law enforcement controls along Argentina's Ruta 34 highway, the main entry point for cocaine into the country, which is one of the biggest markets for the drug in Latin America.
................................................................................................................................ |
13/11/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Paraguay Raids Massive Drug Flight Hub on Brazilian Border
Officials in Paraguay have dismantled a sophisticated international drug trafficking network on the border with Brazil, seizing a record amount of cocaine and illustrating the country’s growing importance to major players in the regional drug trade.
................................................................................................................................ |
06/11/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Mexico - Knights Templar Fill Familia's Shoes in Michoacan
The Knights Templar appear to have evolved from a mere spliter group of the Familia Michoacana to assuming control of the latter's powerhouse in Michoacan, paying for community works and effectively becoming the de facto authority in some parts of the state.
................................................................................................................................ |
26/10/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Colombia - What Will Happen to FARC Mining Interests If Peace Talks Succeed?
With the FARC seemingly deepening their involvement in illegal mining, InSight Crime takes a look at what could happen to the Colombian guerrilla group’s stake in the industry should the peace talks see success.
................................................................................................................................ |
21/10/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Tracking El Salvador’s Mara Salvatrucha in Washington DC
The United States government's designation of the MS-13 as a transnational criminal organization on a par with Mexico's Zetas raises questions of whether the group really deserves this label -- InSight Crime investigates the group's activities in Washington DC.
................................................................................................................................ |
21/10/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Police Withdraw from Key Drug Zones of Guatemala
The Guatemalan government has withdrawn national police from 32 municipalities, many of them key for the drug trade, pointing to the need for the country to develop a larger, more professional police force to counter the rise of Mexican drug cartels.
................................................................................................................................ |
20/10/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Bolivia Plans Crackdown on Cars-for-Cocaine Trade
The Bolivian government has vowed to crack down on the thriving trade in vehicles stolen in neighboring countries and trafficked into Bolivia, which is a major source of funding for criminal groups in the region.
................................................................................................................................ |
09/09/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Colombia - Was FARC Leader's 'Execution' Part of an Internal Purge?
The reported execution of a top member of Colombia's FARC guerrillas could be a sign that the country's largest rebel army underwent an internal purge before it began preliminary talks with the government with an aim to begin peace negotiations.
................................................................................................................................ |
15/08/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Islamic Terrorism and Organized Crime in Latin America
Islamic militant and terrorist groups do not seem to have an active presence in Latin America, but the possiblity that they could develop strategic links with drug trafficking organizations poses a serious threat to security in the hemisphere.
................................................................................................................................ |
26/07/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Questioning Ties Between Colombia Indigenous and FARC Rebels
The Colombian government’s claims that indigenous protestors are acting directly on behalf of insurgents are likely false, but complex local politics mean that the question of guerrilla involvement in the demonstrations cannot be completely ruled out.
................................................................................................................................ |
01/07/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
El Salvador - Are El Salvador’s 'Maras' Becoming Political Actors?
Fears that the two largest street gangs in El Salvador are taking advantage of a proclaimed cease fire to reorganize and expand their overall influence are largely unfounded, as both the government’s strategy and the structure of the gangs themselves appear to be keeping this in check.
................................................................................................................................ |
19/06/2012 | En Parrilla
Colombia - The Case Against Uribe
While former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has faced mounting allegations of drug trafficking and paramilitary ties, he has proved to be surprisingly immune from criminal charges.
................................................................................................................................ |
11/06/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Guatemala - Despite Efforts, Guatemala Sees Little Progress Against Zetas
While Guatemala is attempting to crack down on the Zetas' growing presence inside the country, the Mexican gang has proven itself to be a determined foe and is even expanding its operations, clashing with rival groups and driving up violence.
................................................................................................................................ |
09/05/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Catching the Middlemen Who Fuel Organized Crime
A new report released by the International Assessment and Strategy Center (IASC) highlights the role of specialized intermediaries, many of whom have connections to several illicit groups at once, in facilitating transnational crime.
................................................................................................................................ |
16/04/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Ecuador's Immigration Policies: A Terrorist Tool?
Allegations that Ecuador’s lax immigration policies make it a strategic asset to terrorist organizations like al Qaeda are overblown, overshadowing the real danger: that the country is emerging as a new hotspot for transnational organized crime.
................................................................................................................................ |
04/04/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
El Salvador Soldiers Accused of Selling Weapons to Guatemalan, Honduran Gangs
Prosecutors in El Salvador ordered the arrest of eight soldiers and one civilian linked to an arms trafficking network that may have supplied thousands of weapons to drug gangs in Guatemala and Honduras.
................................................................................................................................ |
02/04/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Arrest of Would-Be 'Zetas' Shows Risk of US Military Infiltration
United States drug enforcement agents have broken up a ring involving former and current US military personnel attempting to work for Mexico’s brutal Zetas drug cartel, illustrating the group's alarming potential to penetrate the US military.
................................................................................................................................ |
29/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
US-Bolivia Gun Spat Points to Drug War Tensions
The discovery of an American diplomatic vehicle transporting weapons and ammunition in Bolivia has added yet another layer of tension to relations between the governments of Bolivia and the United States.
................................................................................................................................ |
16/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Are Central America's 'Maras' Spreading South?
In recent years, officials have expressed increasing concern about the influence of Central American street gangs, known as “maras,” in South America; but while street gangs are on the rise in the region, they are a different beast.
................................................................................................................................ |
16/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Is El Salvador Negotiating with Street Gangs?
A new report by El Faro suggests that El Salvador's government may have struck a deal with its two largest street gangs to reduce violence, indicating that the country may be adopting a less militaristic security strategy.
................................................................................................................................ |
16/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Are Central America's 'Maras' Spreading South?
In recent years, officials have expressed increasing concern about the influence of Central American street gangs, known as “maras,” in South America; but while street gangs are on the rise in the region, they are a different beast.
................................................................................................................................ |
16/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Is El Salvador Negotiating with Street Gangs?
A new report by El Faro suggests that El Salvador's government may have struck a deal with its two largest street gangs to reduce violence, indicating that the country may be adopting a less militaristic security strategy.
................................................................................................................................ |
08/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Tracking the Rise of Paraguay's Rebel Army
In spite of a security surge by the Paraguayan military, the country’s elusive rebel army is rapidly gaining momentum, having dramatically stepped up its operations last year.
................................................................................................................................ |
08/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Tracking the Rise of Paraguay's Rebel Army
In spite of a security surge by the Paraguayan military, the country’s elusive rebel army is rapidly gaining momentum, having dramatically stepped up its operations last year.
................................................................................................................................ |
04/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Drug War - Why Monitoring Precursor Chemicals Won't Halt Cocaine Production
Peru's IDL-Reporteros takes a look at the chemicals used to manufacture cocaine, and the reasons why governments in Peru and elsewhere in Latin America have had such a hard time regulating them.
................................................................................................................................ |
04/03/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Drug War - Why Monitoring Precursor Chemicals Won't Halt Cocaine Production
Peru's IDL-Reporteros takes a look at the chemicals used to manufacture cocaine, and the reasons why governments in Peru and elsewhere in Latin America have had such a hard time regulating them.
................................................................................................................................ |
22/02/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Latin America - Argentina Struggles to Rein in Police Corruption
The arrest of four police accused of murdering a homeless man in order to boost their image illustrates that although Argentina is one of the safest countries in the hemisphere, police corruption and misconduct remain a serious problem.
................................................................................................................................ |
22/02/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Latin America - Argentina Struggles to Rein in Police Corruption
The arrest of four police accused of murdering a homeless man in order to boost their image illustrates that although Argentina is one of the safest countries in the hemisphere, police corruption and misconduct remain a serious problem.
................................................................................................................................ |
22/02/2012 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Latin America - Argentina Struggles to Rein in Police Corruption
The arrest of four police accused of murdering a homeless man in order to boost their image illustrates that although Argentina is one of the safest countries in the hemisphere, police corruption and misconduct remain a serious problem.
................................................................................................................................ |
24/10/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Paraguay - Paraguay Plans Pay Hike for Security Forces, Amid Corruption Scandals
Paraguay is on the verge of approving a pay rise of up to 40 percent for police and members of the military, a move which may prove useful in the country's fight against corruption and organized crime.
................................................................................................................................ |
16/10/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Puerto Rico Sends Mixed Signals on Police Reform
Puerto Rican officials have dismissed a U.S. report alleging systemic corruption in their police force, in a discouraging sign for the prospects of police reform in the U.S. territory.
................................................................................................................................ |
05/10/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Mexico - Doubts Emerge as Juarez Police Step Up, Feds Withdraw
As federal police withdraw from the troubled Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, a newly-published report paints an alarming picture of the municipal police force as underequipped and overburdened.
................................................................................................................................ |
16/09/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
'Paraguay Marines Fire on Brazil Police to Protect Smugglers'
Brazilian and Paraguayan forces allegedly exchanged fire last week in the crime-ridden border region, highlighting possible tensions between the security forces of the two countries as they attempt to crack down on trafficking.
................................................................................................................................ |
16/09/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Foreign Investment not a Casualty of the Drug War
Despite a surge in drug-related violence in the Central America and Mexico, foreign direct investment in the region does not seem to have been seriously affected.
................................................................................................................................ |
31/08/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
El Salvador Buses Strike Against Extortion Rackets
At least two bus routes around San Salvador have been hit by drivers striking to demand that the authorities protect them from extortion demands by gangs.
................................................................................................................................ |
31/08/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
El Salvador Buses Strike Against Extortion Rackets
At least two bus routes around San Salvador have been hit by drivers striking to demand that the authorities protect them from extortion demands by gangs.
................................................................................................................................ |
30/08/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Sinaloa Cartel Becomes King of Mexico Meth Production
With the decline of Mexico's Familia Michoacana drug gang, it appears that the Sinaloa Cartel has stepped up as the largest distributor of methamphetamine to the U.S., illustrating an inherent contradiction in any "war on drugs.
................................................................................................................................ |
30/08/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Sinaloa Cartel Becomes King of Mexico Meth Production
With the decline of Mexico's Familia Michoacana drug gang, it appears that the Sinaloa Cartel has stepped up as the largest distributor of methamphetamine to the U.S., illustrating an inherent contradiction in any "war on drugs.
................................................................................................................................ |
31/07/2011 | En Parrilla
Bolivia President Warns of US Drug Agency Plots
Nearly three years after expelling the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from Bolivia, President Evo Morales continues to accuse the agency of seeking to control the drug trade for its own purposes.
................................................................................................................................ |
14/07/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Mexico's Zetas Gang Expand Influence in US: FBI
A freshly leaked internal FBI memo provides insight into attempts by Mexican drug gang the Zetas to tighten their hold in the Midwest and Southeast U.S, painting a picture of a group bent on expanding their reach in the region.
................................................................................................................................ |
14/07/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Mexico's Zetas Gang Expand Influence in US: FBI
A freshly leaked internal FBI memo provides insight into attempts by Mexican drug gang the Zetas to tighten their hold in the Midwest and Southeast U.S, painting a picture of a group bent on expanding their reach in the region.
................................................................................................................................ |
05/07/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Bolivia Captures Drug Kingpin, Claims Rare Victory
Bolivian officials announced this week that they had captured the cousin of one of Colombia’s most sought after paramilitary leaders. While the arrest is a victory for counternarcotics officials in the country, several recent developments cast doubt on the institutional efficacy of Bolivia’s much criticized anti-drug efforts.
................................................................................................................................ |
05/07/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Bolivia Captures Drug Kingpin, Claims Rare Victory
Bolivian officials announced this week that they had captured the cousin of one of Colombia’s most sought after paramilitary leaders. While the arrest is a victory for counternarcotics officials in the country, several recent developments cast doubt on the institutional efficacy of Bolivia’s much criticized anti-drug efforts.
................................................................................................................................ |
26/06/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Bolivia Set to Withdraw from UN Drug Treaty
Bolivia appears on the verge of withdrawing from a major UN narcotics treaty, underscoring the difficulties facing the country as it attempts to balance drug policy with its cultural heritage of coca consumption.
................................................................................................................................ |
26/06/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Bolivia Set to Withdraw from UN Drug Treaty
Bolivia appears on the verge of withdrawing from a major UN narcotics treaty, underscoring the difficulties facing the country as it attempts to balance drug policy with its cultural heritage of coca consumption.
................................................................................................................................ |
20/06/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
UN Report: Ecuador Increasingly Threatened by Mafia-Style Homicides
According to a new investigation by the United Nations, the number of killings committed by contracted assasins is on the rise in Ecuador. The phenomenon is just the latest evidence that the Andean country is emerging as a new hotspot for transnational organized crime.
................................................................................................................................ |
20/06/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
UN Report: Ecuador Increasingly Threatened by Mafia-Style Homicides
According to a new investigation by the United Nations, the number of killings committed by contracted assasins is on the rise in Ecuador. The phenomenon is just the latest evidence that the Andean country is emerging as a new hotspot for transnational organized crime.
................................................................................................................................ |
10/06/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Why Mexico's drug gangs target rehab centers
Mexico's drug gangs frequently target private, unlicensed rehabilitation centers, which have less security than government-licensed rehabilitation centers.
................................................................................................................................ |
10/06/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Why Mexico's drug gangs target rehab centers
Mexico's drug gangs frequently target private, unlicensed rehabilitation centers, which have less security than government-licensed rehabilitation centers.
................................................................................................................................ |
01/06/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Is Guatemala becoming a narco-state?
With the recent massacre of 27 laborers in the department of Peten, groups are urging Guatemala to purge its institutions of organized crime. Throughout the region, drug money wields significant influence among politicians, police, and communities at large.
................................................................................................................................ |
01/06/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Is Guatemala becoming a narco-state?
With the recent massacre of 27 laborers in the department of Peten, groups are urging Guatemala to purge its institutions of organized crime. Throughout the region, drug money wields significant influence among politicians, police, and communities at large.
................................................................................................................................ |
27/05/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Dominican Republic Clamps Down on Drug Planes
The Dominican Republic is tightening controls on fuel sales in a bid to reduce the number of drug flights that use it as a refueling point, as the island remains an important staging post for cocaine heading to the U.S.
................................................................................................................................ |
27/05/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
Dominican Republic Clamps Down on Drug Planes
The Dominican Republic is tightening controls on fuel sales in a bid to reduce the number of drug flights that use it as a refueling point, as the island remains an important staging post for cocaine heading to the U.S.
................................................................................................................................ |
12/04/2011 | Inteligencia y Seguridad
The Changing Face of Security Cooperation in the Andes
After Ecuador and the U.S. dismissed each others’ ambassadors last week, the future of diplomatic relations between the two countries looks bleak once again. This is part of a larger trend, as countries throughout the region distance themselves further from the U.S. and the "War on Drugs."
................................................................................................................................ |
