Mimi Yagoub
Thursday, January 12, 2017 - 13:21
An international court's condemnation of the Colombian state's role in an infamous military operation in the city of Medellín speaks to the failings of militarizing the fight against illegal armed groups, particularly in heavily populated urban areas.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017 - 13:11
A recent opinion poll in Mexico reveals an embarrassing lack of public trust in security forces, exemplifying yet again how institutional failures risk boosting support for problematic responses to insecurity such as the militarization of citizen safety initiatives and the formation of self-defense movements.
Friday, November 11, 2016 - 07:17
Colombia's internal drug market has grown over the past few decades and is now worth an estimated $2 billion, a trend driven by changing economic and criminal dynamics in the country.
Thursday, November 10, 2016 - 08:16
Aside from his common refrain of building a wall along the US-Mexico border, Trump rarely touched on topics concerning Latin America during his campaign. This has created a great deal of uncertainty about his position on a host of issues related to the region, and his foreign policy more generally.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 - 08:37
One year after Colombia's decision to halt the aerial fumigation of coca crops, eradication levels have plummeted at the same time that coca production continues to soar, a trend that is sure to strengthen the criminal groups involved in this illicit activity.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 - 08:05
Prison murders have surged 60 percent in parts of northern Brazil, a potential sign of the serious repercussions of a new war between the country's two most powerful gangs.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016 - 07:30
El Salvador's three main gangs have reportedly joined forces to carry out strategic assassinations against public officials, which if true would mark a troubling development in the gangs' conflict with the state.
Thursday, November 3, 2016 - 08:03
Official estimates suggest that 11 percent of Colombia's population is allegedly involved in illegal activities, a questionable assertion that nonetheless evidences how deeply crime has infiltrated the country's population.
Thursday, November 3, 2016 - 08:02
A pair of recent reports highlights how Colombia's government decentralization process over the past 30 years has facilitated the incursion of organized crime into local politics, and how this development has generated ongoing problems.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016 - 07:17
An average of nine people were killed per day at the hands of Brazil's notoriously violent police force in 2015, an increase from last year despite a nationwide drop in murder rates. Brazil's police have long held the ill-gotten reputation of being among the most brutal institutions of its kind in the world.