This week, InSight Crime continues coverage of Ecuador, where criminal groups are targeting violence against defiant public officials who refuse their bribes, undermining the country’s fight against corruption.
In Peru, extortion has skyrocketed. We explain what’s behind the trend and analyze the rise of a new form of loan sharking used increasingly by criminal groups.
In Brazil, the recent arrests of current and former Rio de Janeiro officials for the murder of a high-profile councilwoman in 2018 highlight how senior state employees collaborated with Brazilian militia groups.
In the United States, a high-ranking leader of MS13 was detained in San Diego, giving prosecutors a potential opportunity to learn about alleged cooperation between the gang’s most powerful members and the Salvadoran government.
And in Colombia, the capture of a Tren de Aragua leader and a 3-ton marijuana seizure underscores the organization’s continued diversification into new criminal economies.
This and more below.