InSight News
Monday, 21 May 2012 10:02
Mexico's Murder Rate Inches Down, while Massacres Grab Headlines
Written by Alejandro Hope*
The latest figures on violence in Mexico suggest that the country will not see dramatic security improvements this year. Alejandro Hope says that recent mass killings, like the beheading of 49 people near Monterrey, show that the incentives for violence remain powerful.
Friday, 18 May 2012 17:25
Honduran Tycoon Accused of Drug Ties Named 'Press Predator'
Written by Geoffrey Ramsey
Reporters Without Borders has said that the biggest threat to press freedom in Honduras is powerful landowner Miguel Facusse Barjum, though the accusations do not stop there -- Facusse has been accused of ties to the drug trade, and of waging a violent campaign against land activists.
Thursday, 17 May 2012 12:13
How Venezuela's Prison Economies Drive Inmate Violence
Written by Elyssa Pachico
In one of Venezuela's most violent and overcrowded prisons, the underground economy reportedly brings in some $3.7 million a year, helping to explain why inmates reacted with such fury when the government moved to shut the place down.
Tuesday, 15 May 2012 17:21
Rio's Security Chief Talks Bringing Peace to the Favelas
Written by Julia Michaels*
Rio de Janeiro's Security Secretary Jose Mariano Beltrame talks police corruption, militia groups, and the next phase of the favela "pacification" program with blogger Julia Michaels.
Tuesday, 15 May 2012 15:46
Why Children Are Low-Risk Labor for Latin America's Drug Gangs
Written by Edward Fox
A report on child recruitment by Colombia's criminal groups draws attention to the prevalence of the tactic across the region, as gangs exploit a low-cost, low-risk, and highly expendable source of manpower.
Friday, 11 May 2012 17:03
Migrant Kidnappings by Criminal Organizations 'Systematic' in Mexico
Written by Sibylla Brodzinsky
The kidnapping of migrants who travel through Mexico on their way to the United States has become a “systematic and generalized” practice by organized crime groups such as the Zetas, who demand ransom payments from families or recruit them into their ranks, according to a new report.
