From Gangs to Gatekeepers: Criminal Capital in Durán
Durán’s street gangs are vilified for their current role in violence and criminality in the municipality, but their relationship with…
The Web of Illicit Economies Ensnaring Durán, Ecuador
At the heart of Durán’s transformation into Ecuador’s epicenter of organized crime lies a complex web of interconnected criminal economies.…
Kings, Killers, and Cabras: Profiling Durán’s Criminal Players
Durán’s criminal underworld is dominated by the fierce rivalry between the Latin Kings and the Chone Killers. Their differences —…
Tapestry of Crime and Complicity: Mapping Durán’s Power Players
A multitude of actors play a role in security in Durán, including political, bureaucratic, and economic elites, civil society, and…
A Short History of Durán, Ecuador
Durán was a sparsely populated, remote, agricultural outpost of the municipality of Guayaquil before the completion of the national railway…
Durán, Ecuador’s New Crime Capital
Durán, a municipality of over 300,000 inhabitants in Ecuador’s coastal Guayas province, has undergone a dramatic transformation from a thriving…
Uruguay Corruption in Spotlight After Ex-Official’s Release From Prison
The former chief of presidential security in Uruguay was released from prison after serving time on organized crime charges. But…
Security Forces in Venezuela Extort Detainees Amid Political Repression
The United States sanctioned several Venezuelan government officials for extorting money from political detainees, highlighting how President Nicolás Maduro administration…
Ecuador Gangs Target Prison Chiefs to Regain Control
The murder of the head of Ecuador’s largest men’s prison appears to be the latest act of violence by prison…
Central America Primed for Coca Expansion, Study Finds
Nearly half of northern Central America has the ideal agricultural conditions for growing coca, the raw material for cocaine, according…