Choneros’ Extraditions to US Will Test Ecuador’s Kingpin Strategy
The extraditions to the United States of key members of the Choneros is a litmus test for Ecuador’s kingpin strategy…
Peru’s Next President Faces Extortion, Illegal Mining, and a Hostile Congress
Conservative hardliner Keiko Fujimori is poised to become Peru’s next president, following a chaotic and divisive election that has underscored…
Niño Guerrero Is Dead. This Is How He Built Latin America’s Most Notorious Criminal Franchise
Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias “Niño Guerrero,” top leader of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua, was killed in…
When Tren del Llano Went to War: Stolen Elections and Vengeance in Venezuela
This article is part of a series produced by InSight Crime and the Venezuelan human rights organization Defiende Venezuela. Explore…
Ecuador Says Extortion Is Down. The Reality Is More Complicated.
It was time for after-school pickup at the San Francisco de Asís elementary school in downtown Guayaquil one recent afternoon…
On the Radar: What’s New in Trump’s Push for More Military Might to Fight Organized Crime?
The founder of one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal groups pleads guilty, US President Trump’s new regional anti-drug push aims…
Organized Crime and AI: 5 Topics We Are Monitoring in 2026
As advances in artificial intelligence (AI) bring it to nearly all corners of life, both criminal organizations and law enforcement…
Mirror of Control: How the ELN Dominates Both Arauca and Apure
“Every organism in the territory. Every cell there is. They want to control it absolutely.” That is how a human…
Guerrilla Governance: The ELN’s Social Control in Táchira
On July 25, 2025, bursts of gunfire disrupted the usual calm in La Fría, a town in the Venezuelan state…
How a New Port Created Ecuador’s Latest Criminal Epicenter
It was around 3 p.m. on July 19 when a young man stumbled into a small billiards hall in the…