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Articles by Gabrielle Gorder
¿Por qué se están expandiendo los asesinatos en Rosario, Argentina?
La ciudad más violenta de Argentina, Rosario, podría batir el récord de homicidios que tocó hace una década. Pero aunque las cifras parecen similares, el panorama criminal de la ciudad ha cambiado de manera drástica. El 4 de noviembre, un doble homicidio elevó a 250 el número de asesinatos en el noreste de Rosario, la ciudad más grande de la provincia de Santa Fe. Con esta cifra el 2022 se ubica como el tercer año más violento registrado en la ciudad.
Pescadores ilegales de Ecuador capturan sardinas y anchoas
Los buques pesqueros ilegales en las costas de Ecuador están capturando cada vez más pequeñas especies marinas, con el fin de responder a la creciente demanda mundial de harina de pescado, lo que puede generar grandes trastornos ambientales y económicos, al afectar los niveles más bajos de la cadena alimentaria.
¿Narcotraficantes tienen derecho a regalías por narcoseries?
Una mexicana señalada de narcotráfico en México presentó una demanda contra Netflix y Telemundo, lo que constituye un nuevo litigio en torno a las representaciones de los narcos en la televisión.
Do Drug Traffickers Deserve Royalties from Narco-Series?
An accused Mexican drug trafficker is taking action against Netflix and Telemundo, marking the latest legal battle surrounding portrayals of drug traffickers on television. Sandra Ávila Beltrán, once dubbed Mexico’s “Queen of the Pacific,” is demanding the streaming platform and TV channel pay her 40 percent of the royalties for the Spanish-language show “Queen of the South,” by Netflix and Telemundo.
Uruguay Becoming Arms Trafficking Hub Between Argentina and Brazil
Uruguay has been making regular seizures of weapons smuggled in from Argentina, indicating that the country is becoming a preferred transit hub for arms traffickers. In the latest case, ten people were convicted of arms and ammunition trafficking in early August, according to Uruguay's Interior Ministry. Beginning last November, Uruguayan authorities uncovered a network smuggling weapons into the country through Argentina's Soriano and Río Negro provinces.
Yates y cocaína: un paseo anual entre Argentina y España
Dos argentinos dueños de restaurantes que residían en España son buscados por el presunto uso de yates para trasegar cocaína entre Suramérica y Europa, un hecho que destaca el uso común de embarcaciones privadas para el narcotráfico transatlántico. El 14 de julio, los medios argentinos informaron que las autoridades habían emitido órdenes de captura contra Gustavo Marano Fuentes y Darío Pereyra Torres, dos dueños de restaurantes que residían en el balneario de Marbella, en la costa mediterránea.
Yachts and Cocaine - An Annual Voyage Between Argentina and Spain
Two Argentine restaurateurs residing in Spain are wanted for allegedly using yachts to send cocaine between South America and Europe, highlighting the regular use of private craft for trans-Atlantic drug trafficking. On July 14, media in Argentina reported that authorities had issued arrest warrants for Gustavo Marano Fuentes and Darío Pereyra Torres, two restaurant owners living in Marbella, a tourist city on Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
¿Podrá Gustavo Petro legalizar la coca y la cocaína en Colombia?
Un polémico proyecto de ley que propone legalizar la hoja de coca y sus derivados, incluida la cocaína, toma fuerza en Colombia. Existe la esperanza de que el gobierno entrante de Gustavo Petro lo vea incluso con buenos ojos. El proyecto de ley, presentado por primera vez en agosto de 2020, propone que Colombia regule el negocio de la coca mediante la compra directa de la cosecha de coca a los cultivadores en las comunidades más golpeadas por el conflicto armado.
Corruption Index - What are the Most Corrupt Countries in Latin America?
Global Governance, Headlines, Human Rights, TerraViva United Nations Global Governance By Gabrielle Gorder and Seth Robbins Reprint | | Print | Data collected by Transparency International looks at bribery, the diversion of public funds, officials using their office for private gain, conflicts of interest and legal protections for those denouncing corruption.
Illegal Cigarettes Produced with Slave Labor in Brazil
Counterfeit cigarettes may appear harmless, but the illicit tobacco trade often spurs other criminal activities – with the latest case being the use of slave labor by a ring that manufactured illegal cigarettes in Brazil. Authorities rescued 17 Paraguayan nationals and 1 Brazilian that had been kept at an illegal underground cigarette factory in the town of Triunfo, in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, according to a police news release.
Police implicated in shooting of Culiacán surveillance cameras
News More than 1,000 cameras have been destroyed since 2017. The attacks in the Sinaloa capital blind authorities and reinforce cartel control In Mexico, gunmen have gone on a shooting spree of police surveillance cameras in the city of Culiacán – attacks that not only blind authorities but reinforce cartel control.
Charges Point to El Salvador Police Chief's History of Obstructing Justice
Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, El Salvador’s Police Chief As El Salvador’s government battles widespread allegations of cronyism and misuse of funds in pandemic spending, the country’s most senior police official is now accused of helping to cover up government corruption.
Submarines for Rent - The Best Option for Traffickers in Colombia
Colombian soldiers standing guard near a submarine found along the Pacific Coast In November, the Attorney General’s Office, the Colombian Navy and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested 11 alleged members of an organization specialized in the manufacturing of submarines and adapting other vessels for the purpose of cocaine trafficking.
Guatemala Police Case Stirs Up Dark Memories
Guatemalan police are under scrutiny once again for drug trafficking allegations. Authorities in Guatemala have arrested four police officers on charges of arms trafficking, drug trafficking and murder, providing an unsettling sense of déjà vu.
Why Former FARC Fighters are Abandoning Colombia's Reintegration Camps
The ETCR at Ituango was closed down in August 2020 As part of the 2016 peace deal between Colombia’s government and the FARC, which ended decades of war, thousands of demobilized guerrillas entered reintegration camps to help them transition to civilian life. But the camps have been consistently beset by violence, leaving demobilized members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – FARC) unprotected.
Yet Another Presidential Candidate in Honduras Accused of Embezzlement
Nasry "Tito" Asfura, Mayor of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Tegucigalpa mayor Nasry “Tito” Asfura — who has announced he will run for president in Honduras’ 2021 elections — has been named in a government investigation into the embezzlement of more than a million dollars in city funds, making him the second presidential candidate to be accused of financial crimes.
Demobilized Fighters in Colombia's Meta Targeted by Ex-Farc Mafia
Ex-FARC combatants in Meta have become targets for the ex-Farc Mafia The reintegration process for demobilized FARC fighters in Colombia’s Eastern Plains is under threat by ex-FARC Mafia groups looking to recruit and reassert power in territories historically under rebel control.
Paraguay Forest Fires Fueled by Increasing Marijuana Demand During Pandemic
Paraguay has been devastated by forest fires in recent months Forest fires that have blazed across Paraguay in recent weeks are likely to have been, in part, started by criminal groups seeking to clear space for more marijuana plantations. Paraguay declared a state of emergency earlier this month as forest fires choked much of the country. More than 5,000 separate fires were registered on October 1.
Crashed Plane in Colombia May Be Example of 'Cloned Craft'
A plane that crashed in Bogota has the same registration number as a plane seized in Honduras in 2010. A small plane that crashed on the outskirts of the Colombian capital had the same registration number as a drug plane seized in Honduras a decade ago — a likely case of a cloned registration.
El Salvador's President Bukele Linked to Venezuelan Money Laundering Scheme: Report
Former Salvadoran official José Luis Merino is linked to money laundering, according to the United States. Public officials and private individuals close to the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, have been linked to a massive money-laundering scheme involving Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, according to a report recently published by Washington DC-based thinktank IBI Consultants.
New Names, Old Tricks for ex-FARC Mafia in Colombia's Putumayo
Comandos de la Frontera seems to be a group created by other criminal actors in Putumayo Recent reports of a criminal group calling itself the Border Commandos in Colombian’s southern Putumayo department, along the border with Ecuador, have caused concern. But all signs indicate this is yet another name change for a well-established group belonging to the ex-FARC Mafia.
The Two Deaths of Agent Sherill Hernández in Honduras
Twenty-eight-year-old Honduran investigator Sherill Yubissa Hernández Mancía died two different ways, depending on whom you ask. Found in a pool of blood by colleagues in her Santa Rosa de Copán apartment on June 11, 2018, Hernández Mancía was head of a special police unit that investigated corruption and other complex crimes in western Honduras. According to Ricardo Castro, the chief of the elite police force where she worked, the young agent committed suicide.
Despite Vast Oil Reserves, Venezuela Smuggling Gasoline From Colombia, Brazil
A Venezuelan gas station which has run out of fuel to sell Despite having the world’s largest oil reserves, years of mismanagement and theft have led Venezuela to a bizarre turn of events. Gasoline is so scarce in the country that, in recent months, smugglers have been bringing it in from Colombia and Brazil, a complete reversal of traditional routes.
Mexico Cartels Hand Out Food Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Criminal groups in Mexico distributed pantry items in several communities in Mexico. Recent cases of criminal groups distributing supplies in Mexico suggest that the coronavirus pandemic has presented an opportunity to cultivate popular support and consolidate territorial control in areas where people are in desperate need of aid.
Theft of Critical Medical Equipment Surges in Latin America
The increase in demand of these products, makes them an attractive source of income for the criminals. Thefts of tests, ventilators and personal protective equipment have shot up across Latin America amid the coronavirus pandemic, threatening lives and taxing governments that already face shortages of critical medical supples.
Ucayali, Peru's Drug Trafficking Gateway to Bolivia and Brazil
The coronavirus pandemic has halted trafficking in Peru and sent cocaine prices plummeting, but drug seizures continue in the border department of Ucayali, a jungle region that has become a major smuggling corridor to Bolivia and Brazil. A March 29 raid in eastern Ucayali department resulted in the seizure of 39 kilograms of cocaine, the discovery of three clandestine airstrips and the arrest of nine people, according to local media outlet Caretas.
The DEA Academy: The Double Agent Factory
To put it frankly: the Mexican police in the SIU were the minions of the DEA It must have felt like a real kick in the gut for those at the DEA when they found out that Commander Iván Reyes Arzate, who had been an agency lackey for eight years, was leading a double life.
Coronavirus Affects Extortion Payments in Mexico and Central America
Amidst the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, criminal groups could increase their use of violence to guarantee extortions. The measures in the fight against the coronavirus in Central America have caused two starkly different reactions from criminal groups, some are continuing to extort local populations while others have decided to waive payments for the time being.
Coronavirus Could Worsen Health Crisis in Venezuela Prisons
Overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions make Venezuela's jail cells prime ground for coronavirus to spread A prisoners rights’ group says about a quarter of inmate deaths in Venezuela’s police holding cells in 2019 were due to tuberculosis and other treatable illnesses, revealing the deadly risk this population now faces from coronavirus.
From Face Masks to Avocados, the Boundless Creativity of Drug Traffickers
Drug traffickers are nothing if not innovative. And faced with increasingly sophisticated techniques for detecting drugs, they have been forced to be increasingly ingenious to successfully transport their merchandise. Hiding drugs inside the human body or in suitcases simply doesn't cut it anymore. Here, InSight Crime has compiled five of the more creative ways criminal groups in Latin America have recently tried to evade authorities. 1.
The New Boon for Colombia's Cocaine Labs
Pategrillo, a low-quality homemade fuel substitute, is being used increasingly in the production of cocaine Crude oil siphoned from Colombia’s pipelines is increasingly being processed by clandestine refineries that manufacture a low-quality fuel, known as “pategrillo,” used to make cocaine.
Rastrojos Under Siege at Colombia-Venezuela Border
Venezuela's National Guards stand guard at the closed international bridge La Union, on the border with Colombia, at Boca de Grita The Colombian criminal group Los Rastrojos is fighting a two-front war: against ELN guerrillas looking to usurp the group’s highly profitable operations along the border with Venezuela, and against Venezuelan security forces that have been targeting them.
The Women Who Want to Leave Coca Behind in Colombia's Putumayo
Coca growers have reported not feeling supported by the government as they seek alternative means of income In Putumayo, as in much of Colombia, female coca growers face a difficult choice: obey armed groups and continue working in illegal economies, or put themselves at risk by seeking alternatives with little help from the government.
Costa Rica's Security Minister Talks Cocaine, Killings, and Organized Crime
Costa Rica's Security Minister Michael Soto Costa Rica has had a tumultuous start to 2020. The country seized the largest ever haul of cocaine within its borders and homicides were up in the first two months of the year. InSight Crime sat down with Security Minister Michael Soto how the government is seeking to maintain Costa Rica’s reputation as a safe haven in the region. InSight Crime: What do you see as the main organized crime threats to Costa Rica’s security?
Honduras Goes From Transit Nation to Cocaine Producer
Over the last decade, Honduras has seen a proliferation of laboratories capable of transforming coca leaf into cocaine hydrochloride. This means that Honduras, once only a transit point for drugs, is becoming a cocaine producer. According to sources within the Honduran police consulted by InSight Crime, as well as reporting by La Prensa, 12 laboratories have been identified between 2009 and 2020.
Uruguay Tries to Make Sense of Repeated Attacks on Police
Frequent attacks on police have increased a perception of rising insecurity in Uruguay An increasing number of attacks on police in Uruguay shows that a growing organized crime threat may soon tarnish the reputation of what has long been one of the safest countries in the region. In February, Uruguay’s Interior Ministry published a report revealing that 78 police officials across the country were assaulted, with two being killed, during the first five weeks of 2020.
Clandestine Airstrips, Drug Flights Becoming More Frequent Across Venezuela
The Venezuelan government is only reporting about a fraction of the real number of drug flights leaving the country Clandestine airstrips found in Venezuela and suspected drug flights leaving the country soared in 2019, with different parts of the country being used as aerial connection points, but the total amounts may still be far higher than previously thought.
Report Recognizes Drug Trafficking Influence of Venezuela’s Cartel of the Suns
Several high-ranking government and military leaders are under international sanctions for allegedly participating in drug trafficking and money laundering For the first time, the International Narcotics Control Board has recognized the growing influence of the “Cartel of the Suns,” the name for a criminal structure within the ranks of the Venezuelan government and military, in the country’s drug trafficking.
ELN Showcases Unique Ability to Paralyze Parts of Colombia
El ELN puede ser el único grupo criminal de Latinoamérica capaz de hacer un despliegue de fuerza en un área tan extensa For three days in mid-February, the ELN made a show of force, staging simultaneous operations in a show of force which sent a clear message to the government about the risks of not pressing ahead with peace talks.
2019 Homicide Rates in Latin America's Capital Cities
In a year marked by political and criminal turmoil, Latin American capitals did not escape the effects of the corruption, organized crime and state repression experienced throughout the region. From the violent clashes between security forces and protests in Nicaragua and Chile, to the splintering of criminal groups in the capitals of Mexico and Colombia, capital cities in the region ranked among the most violent in the world.
Politicians, Businesses in Deforestation Free-For-All in Guaviare, Colombia
Guaviare has felt the brunt of worsened deforestation since the 2016 peace agreement with the FARC Recent investigations in Colombia have found that government leaders and landowners in Colombia’s department of Guaviare have teamed up to illegally deforest the Amazon in quest of mutual profit.
Colombia's Sought After Patron of Cocaine
Authorities are offering a bounty for anyone that can provide information about the whereabouts of suspected drug trafficker "Contador" A shadowy leader of his own army in Colombia’s department of Nariño, alleged crime boss “Contador” is accused of being one of the country’s most powerful drug traffickers, leading authorities to raise the bounty on him more than fivefold.
Former FARC Guerrillas Recognized as Victims of Sexual Violence in Colombia
Helena is one of the many former FARC members who survived sexual and reproductive violence A recent court decision recognizing acts of sexual violence that took place within the FARC during the armed conflict in Colombia has set a welcome precedent regarding the roles of former female combatants within the armed group.
Tip of the Iceberg: Former El Salvador Presidential Candidate Accused of Negotiating with Gangs
The top prosecutor in El Salvador has asked congress to strip immunity from a legislator he says negotiated with gangs for political benefit during the 2014 presidential election. Norman Quijano, a current congressman who ran for president in 2014 and was mayor of the capital city, San Salvador, has been accused of conspiracy and electoral fraud — the first time such a high-level official faces potential charges for making secret deals with street gangs.
A Death Foretold: MACCIH Shuts Down in Honduras
Honduras' regional anti-corruption body has shut down after its mandate expired on January 19. The announcement by the administration of President Juan Orlando Hernández that a regional anti-corruption commission in Honduras will not continue marks the coup de grace for a body that had little chance of retaining its power after getting in the way of the country’s elites, including the president.
Guatemala’s New President Dogged by His Past and Security Challenges
New Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei faces security challenges and his own past as he takes office Alejandro Giammattei assumes Guatemala’s presidency facing various security challenges, including drug trafficking, impunity, institutional weakness and poor law enforcement. And two notorious cases from his tenure as Guatemala’s prison director in the mid-2000s still loom large.
What Fate Awaits MACCIH in Honduras?
President Juan Orlando Hernández has until January 19 to decide whether to renew MACCIH's mandate The Honduran Congress has advised President Juan Orlando Hernández not to renew the mandate of the international anti-corruption mission that has helped to investigate government officials accused of stealing public funds, among them several congressmen.
Jade: New Crown Jewel for Crime Groups in Guatemala
Jade trafficking is an increasingly profitable criminal economy in Guatemala Authorities have uncovered that an eastern coastal region of Guatemala, known to be a cocaine corridor, has been used in the trafficking of jade — a gemstone used for millennia by the ancient Mayans that has undergone a recent investment boom in China. Local authorities and politicians are suspected of facilitating the illegal mining and smuggling operation, according to the Public Ministry.
Costa Rica's Smaller Eco-trafficking Targets
Beetles are big business for wildlife traffickers in Costa Rica While eco-trafficking in Costa Rica has largely been associated with turtles, recent raids have shown how its butterflies, beetles, wasps and spiders can also fetch startling prices on the international black market.
Drug Traffickers Used Venezuela's Isla Margarita as Backdoor to Europe
The idyllic Margarita island has gone from tourism hotspot to drug trafficking corridor A Venezuelan island in the Caribbean that is a popular tourist destination was used by a Colombian trafficker to move drugs to the United States and Europe, in another example of Venezuela’s coastal islands serving as transshipment points.
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