Drug trafficking

Exploring the Nexus Between Crime and Politics: Why Latin American Criminal Groups Engage in Political Discourse

8 Apr, 2022
Reynell Badillo Sarmiento & Victor M. Mijares

In Latin America, several armed groups, after having created and functioned as criminal organisations, have publicly engaged in political discourse. For these organised crime groups (OCGs), participating in plausible political dialogue is not easy. It requires certain members of the organisation to be constantly assigned to this purpose (which reduces…

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A New Era in the War on Drugs? Between the Lines of the US-Colombia Bicentennial Partnership

18 Mar, 2022
Genevieve Kotarska

Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1822, Colombia has become one of the United States’ (US’s) most important partners in Latin America. Collaboration notwithstanding, Colombia’s prominent role as a cultivator of coca, the base product for cocaine, has pushed counternarcotics policies centred on supply reduction to the forefront of this relationship.…

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Alan Ferguson

Institution: Police Scotland

Area of Expertise: Drug trafficking

Violent Elections in Mexico: Why do they Matter?

1 Sep, 2021
Ana Velasco

One hundred and one politicians were assassinated during the latest electoral process in Mexico. This is the second consecutive election in the country that has suffered from widespread violence. Researchers registered a total of 1066 attacks: an increase of more than 38% relative to the previous 2018 election. Why have…

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