Mexico

Many tourist attractions throughout Central and South America, in countries including Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Ecuador, draw millions of visitors each year, in part because of their rich histories and the indigenous cultures that are believe

On Tuesday, February 12, after years of investigations and a 3-month long trial, famed Mexican drug lord Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán was finally found guilty on all 10 charges of his indictment. After over a week of delegations, in what is likely a sigh of relief for authorities in the United States and Mexico the jury finally revealed its guilty verdict to the court in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday. It is highly likely that the drug leader will be in prison in the U.S. for the rest of his life.

The robbery of oil and gasoline—or huachicoleo, as it’s known in Mexico—has become an increasingly prominent issue in oil-producing countries around the world. In recent weeks, the matter has become a headlining topic in Mexico, where newly-inaugurated President Andrés Manuel López Obrador established controversial reforms to begin combating the crime networks that allow for fuel theft, causing widespread gasoline shortage throughout several states. In an incident related to fuel theft and this recent gasoline shortage, over 80 were killed on Friday, January 18 due to a pipeline explosion in the state of Hidalgo. In light of the President’s crackdown on fuel theft and this recent tragedy, it is imperative to understand what exactly huachicoleo is and why it’s such a big problem today.