Gold Mining in Colombia Increasingly Tied to Organized Crime: Report
A recent report analyzing alluvial gold mining in Colombia suggests that the role of organized crime groups in this industry…
The Resistance at Mocorón River
Over 60 Indigenous Miskito leaders and representatives are gathered in a Catholic church in the town of Mocorón, a village…
When Death Flew Over the Ébano Lagoon
It was about 3:00 p.m. on the afternoon of September 16, 2021, when the Bell H1-1H, with the registration number…
When Cocaine Comes to Paradise
March 2023. Late afternoon. Puerto Lempira, Honduras. In front of the Tansin Lagoon, Moreno and Brutus, two Indigenous Miskito locals,…
Q&A: How Sand Trafficking in Brazil Became a Highly Lucrative Crime
Brazilian authorities have launched a series of operations targeting illegal sand extraction as part of a renewed commitment to fighting…
Venezuela’s Most Wanted List Notable for Its Absences
A recently released list of Venezuela’s most wanted criminals has brought attention to some of the country’s most important organized…
Security Force Corruption Scandal Rocks Brazil’s Biggest Amazon State
Senior security officials in Brazil’s northern state of Amazonas have been dismissed in a growing scandal, potentially revealing alarming levels…
Amazon Protection Pact Falls Short on Tackling Organized Crime
South American nations have signed a landmark pact to protect the Amazon rainforest, but the agreement fails to offer comprehensive…
Expanding Drug Trafficking on Peru’s Borders With Colombia and Brazil
The Amazon forest and watershed shared by Peru, Colombia, and Brazil provide ideal cover for coca cultivation and processing. As…
Challenges and Opportunities in Protecting Amazon Tri-Border Regions
Scattered domestic laws and competing interests intersect in the tri-border regions of the Amazon. Commitments to protecting its wilderness change…