The truce between El Salvador's two largest gangs -- the MS-13 and the Barrio 18 -- opens up new possibilities in how to deal with the seemingly intractable issue of street gangs. But it also creates new dangers. InSight Crime's four part special investigation into Central America's most powerful street gangs.
News Analysis
Despite Mexico Security Improvements, Public Polls Betray Deep Worries

A government survey reveals how certain social behaviors in Mexico have changed due to public perceptions of crime, even though much of the country has seen violence levels plateau somewhat. Read more
Michoacan's Security Surge: Back to the Future
The Mexican government claims that a security surge in Michoacan state in response to ongoing violence is better coordinated than similar initiatives led by the…
A Never-Ending Mission: Soldiers as Police in Mexico
In mid-May, the residents of La Ruana and other towns in Mexico's western state of Michoacan lined roadsides to cheer the arrival of thousands of…
Reading Between the Lines of the Drug Policy Debate
After four decades of the monologue on the "war on drugs," the Americas have opened the door for debate, breaking the taboo against discussing new…
News Briefs

Costa Rica Province a Hub for Domestic Marijuana Trade
The expansion of marijuana crops in one sector of Costa Rica highlights the government's struggle to contain the drug trade in rural, isolated areas. Read more

New Venezuelan Prison Regulations Seek to Protect Human Rights
Venezuela has implemented new regulations in 14 of the country's prisons in an attempt to reform the notoriously violent penal system, although it remains to be seen whether the measures... Read more

In 3 Years, Mexico Sees Just 29 Trials to Seize Narco Assets
Mexico has initiated just 29 legal proceedings to reclaim assets linked to organized crime since a 2009 law provided prosecutors with new powers, calling the law's effectiveness into question. Read more

Dominican Military Patrol Streets To Fight Crime
The Dominican military has begun patrolling the streets alongside the country's police force in an effort to reduce high crime levels, a move sure to feed concerns over the blending... Read more
News Makers

Familia Michoacana
At the height of its power, the Familia Michoacana’s brutal tactics, strong base of operations and pseudo-religious ideology... Read more

Norte del Valle Cartel
The Norte del Valle Cartel (NDVC) emerged out of the breakup of the infamous Cali Cartel to became... 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

Zetas Guatemala
The Zetas, once the military wing of the Gulf Cartel, is now among one of the most violent... Read more
InSight Crime Social
InSight Crime Special Series
FARC, Peace and Criminalization

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, the enemies of the negotiations appear to be strong, and the risks inherent in the process are high.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Most Read
'Zetas Spend All Their Drug Trafficking Profits on Fighting Gulf Cartel'

The Zetas reportedly take in more than $350 million a year from exporting more than 40 tons of cocaine into the US. This interesting revelation, among others, came during testimony by a former leader of...
Read moreColombia Poised to Seize Record $1 Billion from Narco Brothers

The record seizure of hundreds of millions of dollars of assets in Colombia has raised the question of how two brothers linked to the Norte del Valle Cartel built up such power while remaining under...
Read moreThe Life of Accidental Drug Traffickers on Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast

In Nicaragua, the "occasional narcos" have chance on their side, as any day, they may enjoy a stroke of luck and become rich. Residents of the Miskito Coast, a hub for the international drug trade,...
Read more



