April 18, 2025

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This week, incumbent Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa scored a decisive victory ([link removed]) in the country’s presidential election, racking up a last-minute double-digit lead over rival candidate Luisa González. Noboa presented himself as a tough-on-crime candidate, though his efforts in his first term to quell Ecuador’s ongoing security crisis have so far yielded minimal results. Homicide rates remain at record highs, and Noboa has not yet articulated any long-term plan to meaningfully tackle the country’s powerful criminal groups.

Also this week, we explore ([link removed]) why the Noboa family’s banana business may make the president reluctant to enact reforms to improve the security of supply chains vulnerable to being contaminated by drug trafficking groups; we analyze ([link removed]) a historic UN resolution that could dramatically reshape global drug policies; we explain ([link removed]) what’s behind the recent series of grenade attacks in Colombia’s capital Bogotá; and we interview ([link removed]) an expert in illicit finance to learn more about what record gold prices mean for the region’s criminal groups

This and more below.


** Featured
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** Elected for a Full Term, Ecuador’s Noboa Needs a Plan ([link removed])
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In an election dominated by concerns about the rising threat of organized crime, Ecuador voted in current President Daniel Noboa for a full four-year term, during which he will have a chance to create a more coherent anti-crime strategy than the one he employed during his interim presidency.

For the second time in as many years, Noboa, of the National Democratic Action Party (Acción Democrática Nacional – ADN), defeated Luisa González, of the Citizen Revolution (Revolución Ciudadana – RC) party, on April 13. The two had faced off in a 2023 special election.

Read the article here > ([link removed])

See more coverage from Ecuador > ([link removed])


** News Analysis
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** Ecuador’s Election Sees President Accused of Drug Trade Ties ([link removed])
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Drug trafficking accusations levied against a banana company owned by the family of Ecuador President Daniel Noboa may be politicized but raise important … ([link removed])
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** What Is Behind the Explosion in Grenade Use in Colombia’s Capital City? ([link removed])
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A series of recent grenade attacks around various parts of Colombia’s capital city of Bogotá is the latest sign of an uptick in violence linked to ongoing battles … ([link removed])
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** Organized Crime Cashes In on Record Gold Prices ([link removed])
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Gold trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean has never been more profitable. Prices of the precious metal surged over 40% in 2024 to reach a record high of over $3,000 per ounce in March 2025 … ([link removed])
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** Amid Global Turmoil, Is Change Afoot in the International Drug Regime? ([link removed])
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A historic resolution at the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in mid-March may be the beginning of a major … ([link removed])


** Impact
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What We Do > ([link removed])
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In early April, co-director Steven Dudley took part in a closed-door meeting on port security in Hamburg, Germany, organized by the EU-LAC foundation ([link removed]) and the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) ([link removed]) . During the two-day workshop, representatives of governments, think tanks, and universities shared knowledge and understanding regarding criminal dynamics across the globe, as well as best practices on how to deal with these challenges in Europe and beyond.

Our 2021 investigation Cocaine Pipeline to Europe explores in detail the long history of cooperation between crime groups of both regions and the rise of Europe as the world’s most lucrative cocaine market.

Read The Cocaine Pipeline to Europe > ([link removed])

Explore our cocaine coverage > ([link removed])


** This Week's Criminal Profile: Red Command
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Brazilian police launched raids in recent days aimed at dismantling money laundering activities linked to the criminal group Red Command (Comando Vermelho - CV). The authorities suggested that the organization laundered roughly 6 billion reais ($1 billion) of drug money each year, using a variety of financial technology firms, digital banks, and even links to rivals-turned-allies the First Capital Command (Primeiro Comando da Capital – PCC).

The Red Command is Brazil’s oldest criminal group. From its origins in a Rio de Janeiro prison, it has since grown into one of the region’s most formidable drug trafficking organizations, with operations in Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Peru, and Paraguay.
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Read our Red Command profile > ([link removed])
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Read our Brazil coverage > ([link removed])


** Media Mentions
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About us > ([link removed])

April 13, 2025

CNN ([link removed])
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"Data from organized crime research center InSight Crime suggests Ecuador has the highest homicide rate in Latin America."

Read the Homicide Round-Up > ([link removed])

Join us in our upcoming event > ([link removed])


** Trending: Blood Gold Claims Another Victim in Colombia
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Earlier this month, Jaime Gallego became the 33rd social leader to be murdered in Colombia in 2025. We followed Jaime for ten years for our investigative podcast series ([link removed]) , exploring Colombian blood gold through the strange tale of how the mining town of Segovia became a mafia stronghold. Gold prices have continued to hit record highs in recent weeks, increasing potential returns from illegal mining activity for criminal groups.
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** The Shadow of El Dorado ([link removed])
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Explore the full series > ([link removed])
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** He Met a Pilgrim Shadow ([link removed])
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Listen to our extra episode > ([link removed])

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