Latest Investigation

Entering Barrio 18, the powerful Central American street gang, can seem like a violent rebirth. Members get a new family, a community, and a sense of belonging and protection. But this comes at a cost.

Through the story of Desafío, a boy who grew up on the streets of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, InSight Crime delves into the internal workings that make Barrio 18 tick, the constant state of paranoia that its members are kept under, and the brutal response to anyone who dares to dream of a different life.

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Featured

The evidence used to indict several high-ranking politicians in El Salvador for negotiating with gangs has been around for years, raising questions about why prosecutors are bringing the cases now, and what President Nayib Bukele stands to gain.

In February, El Salvador’s Attorney General’s Office charged a handful of lawmakers, mayors and ministers from both the country’s main political parties with electoral fraud and conspiracy. They are accused of offering cash and public projects to leaders of the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) gangs in exchange for their political backing in gang-controlled areas during the runup to the 2014 presidential elections.

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