Carlos Capa Gang
The Carlos Capa gang, which is named for the alias of its leader Deiber Johan González, is one of the…
The R Organization
The R Organization (Organización R – OR) is one of Bolívar state’s fastest-growing mining gangs, often referred to as sindicatos.…
Tren de Guayana
Tren de Guayana is one of the most powerful of the mining gangs known as sindicatos that jockey to control…
Venezuela’s Police Reform Unlikely to Halt Corrupt Ties to Organized Crime
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced a police reform plan that, on the surface, could appear to be a blueprint…
GameChangers 2022: Drug Bonanza Amid Prohibition Challenges in 2023
As more governments in the region reject the drug war and prohibition model pushed by the United States, 2023 will…
GameChangers 2022: Maduro Seeks to Be Venezuela’s Criminal Kingmaker
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro spent years seemingly on the brink of losing power as his crisis-hit government faced popular uprisings,…
Venezuela’s Opaque Drug-Seizure Figures Don’t Add Up
Venezuelan officials have reported seizing over 40 tons of drugs in 2022. But while the government claims this proves Venezuela’s…
Why Venezuela’s Army Faces Uphill Battle to Quell Colombia Border
In recent months, Venezuela has restored diplomatic ties with Colombia, welcomed Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, and agreed to host talks…
How Peru Is Tackling the Danger of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua
General Ulises Guillén, director of the Peruvian National Police (PNP) Anti-Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Directorate, has led an effort by…
Mass Graves in Venezuela Connected to Disappearances in Illegal Mining Hub
The discovery of three mass graves in Venezuela’s eastern state of Bolívar points to how sinister the increase in disappearances…