Ecuador Faces a Tangled Web in Its War on Gangs
Ecuador’s numerous gangs boast significant territorial presence and a diversity of funding streams that will pose a formidable challenge to…
Colombia Struggles to Tackle Prison-Based Extortion
Colombian authorities are struggling to disrupt extortion schemes run by imprisoned Venezuelan gang members, mounting a series of recent arrests…
3 Takeaways From Transparencia Venezuela’s Illicit Economies Index
The Venezuelan government’s failure to prevent the proliferation of organized crime groups means four illicit activities now generate an income…
Why Have Ecuador’s Drug Trafficking Gangs Turned to Extortion?
The number of extortion cases recorded in Ecuador has skyrocketed over the past year, suggesting that the country’s fragmenting criminal…
Official Uniforms Flood Venezuela’s Black Markets
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Venezuelan Extortion Gangs Spark Violent Backlash in Peru
A Venezuelan gang has sunk deep criminal roots into Peru’s capital, Lima, with widespread extortion that has provoked violent protests…
Venezuela Security Policy: Combating Gang and Police-Driven Extortion
Extortion pervades nearly all levels of Venezuelan society, sowing greater fear as it becomes more violent. The repercussions of not…
Three Stages in the Construction of the Tren de Aragua’s Transnational Empire
“Tour operators” offering trips to Bogotá, Medellín, and even as far afield as Ecuador and Peru, swarm anyone stepping off…
Tren de Aragua Brand Spurs Criminal Imposters Outside Venezuela
A string of arrests across the Andes has targeted extortionists posing as members of the Tren de Aragua, showing how…
Venezuelan Extortion Gangs Exploiting Instagram to Amplify Threats
Venezuelan extortion gangs are increasingly moving beyond issuing direct threats, instead broadcasting wide-reaching acts of intimidation to residents via social…