The Andes
Peru: mine engineer held by indigenous protesters
An engineer for the Águila Dorada mining company was detained by members of an Awajún indigenous community in Peru's northern Cajamarca region.
Tag: narco wars
The Andes
FARC proposal to protect coca, cannabis growers
At the Havana peace talks with the Colombian government, the FARC rebels released a proposal to decriminalize and "regulate the production of coca, poppies and marijuana."
Southern Cone
Brazil: prison violence spills into streets —again
The prison crisis in Brazil made brief headlines after newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo released a gruesome video of gang warfare victims at the violence-plagued Pedrinhas facility.
Mexico
Mexico: nine dead in prison massacre
A "commando" of six gunmen gained access to a Mexican prison, killed four inmates in their sleep, and then tried to shoot their way out, sparking a bloody fire-fight.
Central America
Costa Rica: the next narco-state?
Unprecedented cocaine raids across Costa Rica point to the Central American country emerging as a key hub in the hemispheric narco-trade.
The Andes
Colombia: photos link Uribe to narcos, paras
Just as he has launched a new political party, photos emerge showing Colombia's ex-president Alvaro Uribe with figures linked to the "para-politics" scandal.
The Andes
Colombia: US suspends spraying after pilots downed
The US-funded glyphosate spraying in Colombia has been indefinitely suspended after presumed FARC guerillas shot down two fumigation planes—killing a US pilot.
Southeast Asia
Golden Triangle opium boom
The UN in its new Southeast Asia Opium Survey finds that opium production in Burma soared in 2013—along with renewed insurgency wars in the country's north.
The Andes
Peru: coup d’etat against Humala planned?
Following a shake-up in the military high command, the Peruvian blogosphere is abuzz with rumors of an imminent coup d'etat against President Ollanta Humala.
The Andes
CIA covert action in Colombia revealed
The Washington Post runs an in-depth report exposing CIA oversight of the Colombian government's campaign of targeted assassinations of guerilla leaders.
The Andes
Peru claims new blow against Sendero Luminoso, assails Bolivia
Peru announced the capture of a top Sendero commander—and called upon neighboring Bolivia to stop stigmatizing it as a source of "narco-terrorism."
Iran
Persian Gulf militarized —by drug war
In addition to the naval face-off over a global oil outlet, the Persian Gulf has seen escalating militarization by international forces in the guise of narcotics enforcement.