The outlier: Rosario (and its future), explained
Argentina is one of the safest countries in Latin America, except for Rosario, the city with a homicide rate five times higher than the national average. Violence is not new, but a wave of deadly shootings in broad daylight has exposed new crime dynamics and reopened the debate on the use of “tough on crime” policies. Here’s everything you need to know.
Poverty, marginalisation and cocaine: Crime groups find lucrative combo in Argentina
Argentina’s economy is in intensive care. Financial stagnation, coupled with record inflation and the slashing of public spending have resulted in rising poverty and marginalisation. But during every crisis some see opportunity, and this time, it is crime groups. With drug trafficking expanding in the barrios, analysts warn of new complex dynamics taking hold in the long run.
cocaine-past-present-future
Over the years, and centuries, cocaine has gone from being revered as a miracle medicine to being the subject of a complex and largely unsuccessful global war, with millions of victims. What lies behind the intricate past, and present, of one of the most popular, and controversial, drugs in history? Read on to find out.
Drugs, women and prison: Is Costa Rica’s recipe in danger?
Women represent the fastest growing prison population in Latin America. Most are convicted of petty drug offences, are heads of households and come from marginalized backgrounds. Some governments, including in Costa Rica and Colombia, believe that prison isn’t the answer and are turning to alternatives. But the big question is: Do these models work and can they survive the new wave of tough security policies in the region?
7 Key Facts About Venezuela’s Train of Aragua
The Tren de Aragua is one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Venezuela, and in Latin America. Journalist Ronna Rísquez, who has followed its trail for years, explains everything you need to know to understand it.
Gold, drugs and violence: The Aragua Train Venezuela’s Mining Arc
The Aragua Train extended its criminal control to strategic areas of Venezuela, such as the Orinoco mining arc, where it imposed itself as the de facto authority. Ronna Rísquez describes what she found in the state of Bolívar.
Organized Crime is Destroying the Amazon. This is How.
The uncontrolled expansion of cattle ranching and agriculture are some of the reasons behind the destruction of the Amazon. But they are not the only ones. Powerful criminal organizations have extended their control over the most biodiverse area on the planet, polluting the environment and subjugating local communities. This is how they do it.
Pamela Huerta: ‘Drug Traffickers Have the Upper Hand”
Coca leaf cultivation increased by 18 percent between 2021 and 2022 in Peru, mainly around Amazon borderlands. We spoke to journalist Pamela Huerta about the impact this has had on local communities and on the environment.
Bram Ebus: ‘Organized crime uses the Amazon to expand’
We spoke with Bram Ebus, journalist and leader of Amazon Underworld, an investigative project that explores the criminal dynamics in the area, as well as their impact on the environment and its inhabitants.
Extortion in Uniform: Caught Between Violent Gangs and Corrupt Police in Venezuela’s Cota 905
In 2021, one of Caracas’s most marginalized neighbourhoods was the scene of an unprecedented intervention by state security forces to tackle a notorious criminal gang that had controlled the area for nearly seven years. People living in Cota 905 now say the police is targeting them for money.
Cocaine: A Fascinating, and Complex, History
It has been adored, reviled, analysed ad infinitum and the focus of endless international debate. Few substances have such a long and fascinating history as cocaine, and such an impact on the world. Here are some of the most relevant events to understand its long life.
Cocaine: All you Need to Know
It is an anaesthetic and appetite suppressant, capable of providing bursts of energy. It is also dangerously addictive, with potentially deadly side effects. Governments have been trying to curb its use for decades, but its production and use is steadily increasing. Here’s everything you need to know about cocaine.
