Organized Crime

'Trial of the Century' (Part II): The Highlights of El Chapo's Historic Trial

By Kristen Martinez-Gugerli

February 20, 2019

The trial of El Chapo was a riveting one, and a known international drug lord has finally been brought to justice, bringing great relief to anyone who has been affected by his crimes. Now, as Guzmán awaits his sentence and as we keep our fingers crossed that he cannot escape a U.S. prison, it is the ideal time to look back and review some of the most disturbing and bizarre things that came up over the weeks since the trial began in November.

'Robin Hood' Criminal Groups: Providing for the Community when the Government Cannot

By Kristen Martinez-Gugerli

November 7, 2018

Jesus Malverde, the proclaimed patron saint of narcos, is praised in Mexico as a Robin Hood figure. His legacy of committing crimes to provide for the poor has inspired many criminal groups to follow suit, earning them a similar reputation among the people.

Conventional perceptions of Latin America’s organized criminal groups tend to emphasize the greed and violence produced by these groups when, in reality, their existence is much more nuanced than this. Although most associate the presence of criminal groups with heightened levels of violence or drug use, these groups usually do much more than this, often providing certain services and resources to local communities.

Mexican Municipal Police Forces Suspected of Organized Crime Links

By Asa Equels

October 12, 2016

The Mexican federal police have taken control of 13 towns in southern Mexico in the latest chapter of the missing students’ saga. The 13 towns all lie within a 125-mile radius of the city of Iguala, the site of the initial protest that led to the disappearance of 43 students.

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Organized Crime