El Salvador’s Gangbusters

By: Staff Writer August 8, 2023 With El Salvador’s presidential election slated for next year February, its President, Nayib Bukele is seeking a second term on the strength of his…

The Shattered Mafia Behind Criminal Chaos in Zulia, Venezuela

By: Insight Crime August 8, 2023 Over Carnival weekend, as families crowded into Maracaibo’s small, air-conditioned shops, gunmen got off their motorbikes, entered a butcher’s shop, and without uttering a…

The Inescapable Prison of Barrio 18 in Honduras

By: Insight Crime August 1, 2023 Entering Barrio 18, the powerful Central American street gang, can seem like a violent rebirth. Members get a new family, a community, and a…

Criminal Groups Ally With State Forces for Cattle Theft in Venezuela

By: Insight Crime August 1, 2023 An increase in cattle rustling across Venezuela has been driven by the joint involvement of public officials and criminal groups, with ranchers sounding the…

Former Panamanian Prez sentenced to 10 years for money laundering!

By: Staff Writer July 25, 2023 Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering, a development that could impact next year’s general…

Kidnappings Surge in Colombia Amid ELN Peace Negotiations

July 25, 2023 Kidnappings are rising across Colombia, despite President Gustavo Petro’s administration gearing up for peace negotiations with the country’s last remaining guerrilla group. Across the country, kidnappings increased…

Ex-President Sentenced as Panama Makes Progress Against Impunity

July 25, 2023 Former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli was sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering, putting him closer than ever to facing justice after years of avoiding…

OAS Electoral Observation Mission Rejects Raid on the Headquarters of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and the Semilla Party

July 25, 2023 The Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) of the Organization of American States (OAS), headed by former Foreign Minister of Paraguay Eladio Loizaga, strongly rejects the new raid carried…

US State Department sanctions scores of officials in Central America: Two former presidents lead list!

By: Staff Writer July 21, 2023 The US State Department sanctioned tens of officials in Central America in a wave that hit four countries.  The State Department, in its Corrupt…

Death of Iván Márquez Simplifies Colombia Peace Negotiations

By: Insight Crime July 18, 2023 Iván Márquez, former guerrilla commander, has reportedly died in Venezuela, with his death likely having far-reaching consequences for Colombia’s “Total Peace” negotiations. Multiple media…

Rise of the Criminal Hybrid State in Venezuela

July 14, 2023 Is Venezuela now a hybrid state, where the line between governance and criminality has blurred, or even disappeared altogether? The start of this evolution can be traced…

Statement from the OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Guatemala

July 14, 2023 The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Guatemala welcomes the officialization of the results of the General Elections and reaffirms, once again,…