National Liberation Army (ELN)
The National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN) is Colombia’s last true insurgency and one of Latin America’s…
Tren de Aragua Factions Persist Despite Venezuela’s Crackdown
Gangs allied to Venezuela’s mega-gang, Tren de Aragua, remain operational despite multiple security operations against it, calling into question the…
Venezuela’s Prisons Remain Out of Control Despite Government Measures
Venezuelan authorities declared victory last year after several operations to retake control of prisons in the hands of gang leaders…
Tren del Llano
Tren del Llano (Train of the Plain) is one of the first large criminal gangs, known locally as “megabandas,” to…
Why Is Venezuela’s Crime Rate Falling?
A government-reported decline in Venezuela’s crime rate may create the illusion of a security breakthrough, but the reduction has more…
Chile Court Bomb Threats Highlight Tren de Aragua’s War on the State
Bomb threats targeting multiple courthouses in Chile suggest that the transnational criminal organization of Venezuelan origin, Tren de Aragua, is…
Illegal Mining Grows in Southern Venezuela, as Brazil Tightens Grip
Recent reports from military operations and civil society groups indicate that the presence of Brazilian miners in the south of…
Venezuelan Women at Risk From Expanding Trafficking Rings
On November 29, 2022, the Monagas family heard from Lismar Monagas for the last time. Since then, the family has…
What Cliver Alcalá’s Sentencing Means for Venezuela’s Cartel of the Suns
The United States has sentenced a former Venezuelan military official for his role as a high-ranking member of the so-called…
Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua: A Phantom or a Reality?
In early April, police officers in Oruro, eastern Bolivia, received a tip that a group of men were going to…