Once again the possibility of ending nearly 50 years of civil conflict is being dangled before Colombia. While the vast majority of the Colombian public want to see peace, for themselves and especially for their children, the enemies of the peace negotiations appear to be strong, and the risks inherent in the peace process are high.
News Analysis
Exit of El Salvador Security Minister Puts Gang Truce at Risk

The constitutional chamber of El Salvador's Supreme Court ruled Friday that the appointment of two former army generals in top security posts is unconstitutional, raising the question of what will now happen to the country's... Read more
Why Mexico Should Open the Gendarmerie Debate
Although the Mexican government's idea of creating a National Gendarmerie has been criticized for lack of clarity and failure to define objectives, one official has…
Why Has The Italian Mafia Returned to Colombia?
A spate of recent arrests suggests the Italian mafia may be making a comeback in Colombia, where the fractured criminal landscape makes it easier for…
Police Helicopter Chase Highlights Recklessness in Rio de Janeiro
A video showing Rio de Janeiro police hunting down a drug trafficker from a helicopter raises all kinds of questions about why the clip is…
News Briefs

Mexico Vigilantes Force Gang Members to Sweep Town Plaza
A Mexican vigilante group reportedly forced eight teenagers to sweep a town plaza in punishment for working for criminal organization the Knights Templar, some indication of how the volunteer security... Read more

'80% of Crimes Committed with Unregistered Guns in Honduras'
According to a Congressional committee that handles public security issues, some 80.5 percent of all crimes in Honduras are committed with unregistered guns, as the country prepares to debate a... Read more

'Drug Cartels a Greater Threat to Migrants Than US Border Patrol'
Migrants trying to illegally enter the United States through Mexico say that they face more danger from drug cartels than immigration enforcement, highlighting the scale to which criminal groups are... Read more

Peruvian Cocaine Best Value For Traffickers: Bolivia Police
Drug traffickers operating along the Bolivia-Brazil cocaine route are buying up Peruvian product because it costs significantly less, according to Bolivia's top counternarcotics official. Read more
News Makers

Ivan Marquez
Luciano Marin, alias "Ivan Marquez," is a member of the ruling Secretariat of the FARC guerrilla group. He is... Read more

Timochenko
Rodrigo Londoño Echeverry, alias "Timochenko," is only the third commander-in-chief in the FARC's nearly 50-year history. Of the... Read more

Barrio 18 (M-18)
The 18th Street Gang, also known as "Barrio 18" or the "M-18," is one of the largest youth... Read more
InSight Crime Special Series
Juarez After The War

As a bitter war between rival cartels grinds to an end, Ciudad Juarez has lost the title of world murder capital, and is moving towards something more like normality.
The Zetas And The Battle For Monterrey

InSight Crime delves into the Zetas' battle for Mexico’s industrial capital, Monterrey, getting to the essence of a criminal gang that defies easy definition.
Target: Migrants

The growth of organized crime in Mexico and Central America has led to an increase in violence and insecurity across the region, posing challenges to citizens, public security forces, and travelers.
Slavery in Latin America

InSight Crime coordinated an investigation into modern slavery, looking at how Latin America’s criminal groups traffic human beings and force them to work as slaves.
Displacement in Latin America

InSight Crime coordinated an investigation into the new face of displacement in Latin America, where organized criminal groups are expanding and forcing people to flee.
Nicaragua: A Paradise Lost?

Though Nicaragua is lauded as a model of citizen security, it has problems, particularly with the police. InSight Crime breaks these down in this series.
Gorilla in the Room

As Latin America’s leaders prepare to meet in Colombia for theupcoming Summit of the Americas, InSight Crime examines the thorny subject of drug legalization.
Zetas in Guatemala

Mexico's Zetas have taken Guatemala by storm, and they are testing this country and the rest of the region: fail this test, and Central America sinks deeper into the abyss.
InSight Crime Social
Most Read
Brazil Frees Nearly 3,000 Slaves

Brazilian authorities rescued almost 3,000 people from conditions of slavery in 2012, as the country continues to strengthen its efforts to tackle the entrenched practice.
Read moreWhy Vigilante Groups Threaten Mexico's Knights Templar

Recent reports of fierce fighting between community police groups and a Mexican gang offer a window into the potential threat of vigilante groups to organized crime.
Read moreWhy Has The Italian Mafia Returned to Colombia?

A spate of recent arrests suggests the Italian mafia may be making a comeback in Colombia, where the fractured criminal landscape makes it easier for them to exert control over the drug trade.
Read more


