3. Bolívar: A New Sanctuary for Tren de Aragua?
Dozens of motorcycles, caked in the reddish mud of the gold mines, travel the narrow road through Las Claritas, a…
Bolívar: A New Sanctuary for Tren de Aragua?
Dozens of motorcycles, caked in the reddish mud of the gold mines, travel the narrow road through Las Claritas, a…
Colombia-Venezuela Border Killing Hints at Growing Guerrilla Conflict
The alleged killing of a guerrilla commander near the Colombia-Venezuela border suggests that a fragile criminal alliance that up until…
Anti-Mining ‘Crackdown’ Shifts Ops Elsewhere in Venezuela
Despite repeated and widely publicized government operations against illegal mining in Venezuela’s Amazonas state, the criminal networks and corrupt actors…
Environmental Defenders in Mexico Face Deadly Threats From Organized Crime
Environmental defenders in Mexico are facing increasingly lethal attacks as organized crime deepens its role in land conflicts, often with…
A Golden Opportunity: Maduro and Venezuelan Miners Target Essequibo
Just after 5 p.m. on May 13, 2025, shots rang out along the Cuyuní River, as troops from the Guyana…
Ecuador’s Illegal Mining Crackdowns Miss the Mark
Massive operations by Ecuador’s military against illegal mining following a historic massacre will do little to slow one of the…
The 3 Biggest Threats to Indigenous Communities in Peru’s Amazon
In Peru’s Amazon, Indigenous communities face an escalating threat from organized crime, yet remain largely invisible to the state, according…
Peru Massacre Exposes Mining Gangs’ Power
The massacre of 13 mine workers highlights how Peru’s mining gangs have developed into criminal behemoths. The bodies of the…
Illegal Gold Mining in Brazil Likely to Survive Tougher Regulations
Gold traders in Brazil must now prove that they get their metal from legal sources, following a recent Supreme Court…