The Andes
Sinaloa Cartel kingpin nabbed in Colombia
Colombia announced the arrest of Cesar Demar Vernaza AKA “El Empresario”āaccused crime boss of Ecuador and top South American operative of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.
Tag: narco wars
Central America
Honduras: top prosecutor suspended amid violence
Citing escalated criminal violence, Honduras’ Congress suspended the prosecutor generalābut has not acted against the National Police chief, accused of death squad links.
The Amazon
Brazil: human trafficking crackdown in Amazon
The Brazilian state of Acre declared a state of “social emergency” in response to a surge of undocumented migrants from neighboring Bolivia and Peru.
Mexico
Mexico: MichoacƔn tipping into war
Several were killed in confrontations across Mexico’s violence-torn MichoacĆ”n stateāincluding when gunmen fired on crowds commemorating the death of Emiliano Zapata.
The Andes
Colombia: peace talks advance amid violence
Colombian peasants held a mass meeting to press for agrarian reform as talks with the FARC continue in Havanaābut fighting and repression continue around the country.
The Andes
Peru: pressure on for Fujimori pardon
Peru's President Ollanta Humala is under growing pressure from the right-wing opposition to grant a "humanitarian" pardon to imprisoned ex-dictator Alberto Fujimori.
The Andes
Peru: Lucanamarca massacre remembered
Peru's President Ollanta Humala oversaw a ceremony at Lucanamarca village, delivering a "symbolic" package of reparations for the massacre there in April 1983.
The Andes
Peru: scandal over Israeli security contractor
Peru’s Congress has opened a high-profile investigation into a contract with Israeli security firm Global CST, entered into by the previous government of Ćlan GarcĆa.
Mexico
Wave of barroom balaceras across Mexico
Gunmen shot up nightclubs in Chihuahua, Oaxaca and Guerrero, killing 11 and kidnapping oneāthe latest in a surge of violence since the change of government in Mexico.
Mexico
Mexico: “community police” seize conflicted town
Following the slaying of a “Community Police” commander in Guerrero state, members of the popular militia seized public buildings and detained 12 “official” police agents.
Mexico
Mexico: study says arms smuggling keeps US dealers in business
A new study correlating arms sales with dealers’ locations estimates that about a quarter of a million firearms purchased in the US are smuggled into Mexico each year.
Central America
Honduras: US ‘drug war’ aid linked to death squad
An AP probe refutes US claims that no police aid to Honduras goes to units under the force's overall commander Juan Carlos Bonilla AKA "El Tigre"—an accused death squad leader.