Regional Overview
Latin America and the Caribbean
July 2024
Posted: 12 August 2024
In this Regional Overview
- Brazil: Security forces roll out operation against criminal groups in Rio de Janeiro
- Ecuador: Attacks on political figures increase despite new emergency measures to curb violence
- Haiti: Anti-gang police operations rekindle violence in Artibonite and Ouest departments
- Mexico: Escalation of the war between criminal groups in Chiapas triggers displacement to Guatemala
- Nicaragua:President and vice president step up their persecution of opponents and government allies
- Venezuela: Disputed re-election of Maduro triggers demonstrations nationwide
Brazil: Security forces roll out operation against criminal groups in Rio de Janeiro
On 15 July, the military and civil police launched Operation Ordo in six neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro’s west zone to combat criminal activities and thwart armed clashes between criminal groups.1Pedro Peduzi, ‘Forças de segurança iniciam ação contra milicianos na zona oeste do RJ,’ Agência Brasil, 15 July 2024; Rafael Nascimento et al., ‘Forças de segurança ocupam 10 comunidades da Zona Oeste do Rio para coibir a disputa territorial entre traficantes e milicianos,’ G1, 15 July 2024 Around 2,000 officers were deployed in the area, which is a constant battleground between drug trafficking groups, police militias, and security forces.2Associated Press, ‘Brazilian police launch mega-operation in Rio de Janeiro favelas to fight organized crime,’ 15 July 2024 Authorities arrested around 170 people and intervened in numerous illegal businesses since the operation began.3O Dia, ‘Operação Ordo: comércios em Jacarepaguá são autuados por produtos vencidos e falsificados,’ 30 July 2024
Clashes between non-state actors in Rio’s West Zone continued during the second half of July in spite of the operation, amid rivalry between armed groups in the metropolitan area. The operation comes after six Comando Vermelho (CV) members were killed at the beginning of the month in a clash with military police in Cidade de Deus. The expansion of the CV into Rio’s West Zone contributed to a 50% surge in political violence in 2023, as the gang sought to reclaim territories long dominated by police militias,4Rafael Soares and Roberto de Souza, ‘Contragolpe sangrento: após se alastrar por 21 estados, Comando Vermelho trava guerra expansionista no Rio e já tomou 19 comunidades da milícia,’ O Globo, 14 July 2024 and violence has remained high ever since. Non-state armed groups continue to pose a significant threat to civilians in Rio de Janeiro and across Brazil, which is the third-most dangerous country for civilians globally according to ACLED’s Conflict Index 2024 mid-year update.
Ecuador: Attacks on political figures increase despite new emergency measures to curb violence
On 2 July, President Daniel Noboa declared a new state of emergency aimed at curbing organized crime in the six provinces and one canton where authorities have recorded the highest levels of violence in recent months.5El Universo, ‘Estos son los derechos que se restringen en nuevo estado de excepción decretado en varias provincias de Ecuador, ¿hay toque de queda?,’ 2 July 2024; Andrea Salazar, ‘Estado de excepción: ¿Por qué se incluyó Camilo Ponce Enríquez?,’ El Mercurio, 23 May 2024 The measure, which contemplates using military forces to fight criminal organizations and the limitation of some civil rights, comes after the Constitutional Court overturned two previous state of exception measures issued in April and May.6Ana Maria Cañizares and Mauricio Torres, ‘Por tercera vez, Noboa decreta estado de excepción para algunas provincias de Ecuador para enfrentar la inseguridad,’ CNN Español, 2 July 2024 Noboa has introduced tough-on-crime policies since he started his term in November 2023,7William Gazeau, ‘Noboa: seis meses de mandato marcados por la mano dura contra el crimen, grietas diplomáticas y apagones,’ France 24, 24 May 2024 raising concerns about authorities’ human rights abuses and excessive use of force.8Amaru Solis et al., ‘Informe sobre los hechos de violencia policial y militar durante la declaratoria del Decreto 111,’ INREDH, 11 July 2024 In one such case in Quevedo, Los Rios, military officials shot and killed a municipal traffic agent after the agent disregarded a weapons control checkpoint, on 7 July. Even though the state of exception is supposed to increase authorities’ pressure on criminal gangs, it has failed to curb their activities and to provide protection to political figures. In July, ACLED records 10 incidents of violence targeting political figures, including civil servants and their relatives, reportedly resulting in eight deaths. This led to July being the second-most lethal month in Ecuador since ACLED started its coverage of the country in 2018. The number of events also marks a slight increase compared to the eight incidents recorded the previous month.
Haiti: Anti-gang police operations rekindle violence in Artibonite and Ouest departments
Police operations to retake control of police stations and key roads in Artibonite and Ouest departments in July led to a near doubling of fatalities nationwide compared to the previous month. In Pont Sondé, Artibonite, police killed at least eight Gran Grif gang members between 12 and 15 July as they sought to prevent the seizure of a sub-police station. Meanwhile, in the southern commune of Gressier, Port-au-Prince, security forces clashed with gangs between 18 and 25 July over control of a police station and National Road 2, which connects the capital with southern departments. The clash resulted in over 40 reported fatalities — the highest ACLED has recorded in this commune since coverage began in 2018.
The spike in clashes coincided with the beginning of joint Haitian-Kenyan operations in the Ouest department following the arrival of a second contingent of 200 Kenyan police officers for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission on 16 July.9France 24, ‘Deux cents policiers kényans supplémentaires partent renforcer la mission internationale en Haïti,’ 16 July 2024 In Port-au-Prince, the joint forces regained control of the building of the National Port Authority in the La Saline neighborhood on 17 July. One week after, in another operation, the joint forces killed three gang members in Ganthier, Croix-des-Bouquets arrondissement, after the 400 Mawozo gang attacked a customs office near the border with the Dominican Republic.
In the first two weeks since a state of emergency was declared in 14 communes on 17 July, ACLED records at least 76 gang members killed by security forces, although the head of the National Police reported that the total could be up to 104.10AlterPresse, ‘Criminalité : Plus d’une centaine de bandits tués en deux semaines après le début de l’état d’urgence sécuritaire en Haïti,’ 30 July 2024 Despite a general decrease in gang violence since April 2024, the violent targeting of civilians persists and is growing more lethal, as noted in ACLED’s Conflict Index mid-year update. Ransom kidnappings, which had decreased earlier this year, surged in July as gangs sought to bolster their resources in anticipation of the MSS operations.
Mexico: Escalation of the war between criminal groups in Chiapas triggers displacement to Guatemala
Clashes between rival armed groups increased in July, particularly spearheaded by a spike in Chiapas, where Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa cartel are battling for control of drug and migrant trafficking routes and illegal mining near the Guatemalan border.11Juliana Manjarrés, ‘¿Qué hay detrás de la guerra de grupos criminales en Chiapas, México?,’ InSight Crime, 8 February 2024; Orsetta Belani, ‘Explotación ilegal de una mina está detrás de los enfrentamientos en Chicomuselo, Chiapas, denuncian pobladores,’ Animal Político, 24 January 2024 Around 20 and 21 July, clashes erupted in five municipalities, including Chicomuselo and Amatenango de la Frontera, where civilians were also directly targeted. Following the clashes, roadblocks were erected in at least 15 municipalities and were likely set up by the warring groups, which have also stepped up forced recruitment of locals in some of the communities cut by the roadblocks, according to local organizations.12Baruc Mayen, ‘Narcotraficantes reclutan y ejecutan civiles en su lucha por controlar Chiapas, según ONG,’ Infobae, 23 July 2024 This violence forced at least 580 residents to flee to Guatemala, adding to the over 2,000 that had already been displaced within Chiapas since January 2024. These massive displacements are a symptom of the state of the conflict in a country ranked second-most dangerous in the world for civilians, according to ACLED’s Conflict Index mid-year update.13Jonathan González, ‘Huyen 600 habitantes de la Sierra de Chiapas por violencia del crimen organizado,’ Milenio, 24 July 2024 In response to the surging numbers of displaced Mexicans, Guatemalan authorities have reinforced military presence in the border departments of Huehuetenango and San Marcos and provided humanitarian assistance to the displaced.14Prensa Latina, ‘Guatemala fortaleció frontera con México por desplazamientos,’ 29 July 2024
The surging violence in Chiapas came as US forces arrested one of the Sinaloa cartel’s leaders, ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, as he — along with another leader of the Los Chapitos faction, Joaquín Guzmán López — landed on a private plane in El Paso, Texas. It is yet unclear what these blows to leadership will have on cartel activity, but they could deepen internal fractures within the cartel, and may have repercussions in the organization’s ability to vie for the control of territory with other cartels such as CJNG, including in Chiapas.15Drazen Jorgic, ‘US arrests Mexican drug lord ‘El Mayo’ and son of ‘El Chapo’ in Texas,’ Reuters, 26 July 2024
Nicaragua: President and vice president step up their persecution of opponents and government allies
The government of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo continued its crackdown on dissent. Ostensibly, this indicates an effort to consolidate power and ensure a smooth family power transition to Rosario Murillo, replacing current top officials with people closer to her influence.16Confidencial, ‘Sigue la barrida en el Poder Judicial: Suman más de 1100 despedidos en toda Nicaragua,‘ 2 July 2024; Nicaragua Investiga, ‘Sigue «barrida» en la Cancillería de Nicaragua,’ 29 July 2024 In recent months, government repression has been targeting not only opponents but also government officials and allies, particularly in the judiciary, foreign ministry, and National Police. The government has gotten rid of dissident voices by either dismissing or arresting them, often on corruption charges. Some of the seven significant arrests recorded in July stand out for the high profile and closeness to the presidential couple of those targeted: On 10 July, authorities arrested Deputy Foreign Minister Arlette Cristina Marenco and her husband, Reynaldo Vidaurre Benavidez,17Confidencial, ‘Dictadura “purga” a vicecanciller Arlette Marenco y empieza “barrida” en Cancillería,’ 18 July 2024 followed by the detention of Jorge Guerrero, a longtime Ortega ally, on 16 July.18Confidencial, ‘Nicaraguan Police Capture Jorge Guerrero, Part of Daniel Ortega’s “Inner Circle,”’ 23 July 2024 On 29 July, the government dismissed another key official, Deputy Minister for International Affairs Carlos Alberto Cerda Gaitán.19Wilfredo Miranda, ‘Ortega y Murillo continúan la purga del Estado sandinista: más de una decena de despidos en Cancillería,’ 1 August 2024
Meanwhile, the persecution of opponents continues. On 10 July, state forces detained and expelled from the country a renowned journalist, a practice the government has regularly used since it expelled 222 political prisoners to the US in February 2023. A few days later, on 14 July, they detained her brother, a former military officer, after he exchanged fire with police during the arrest, injuring four.
Venezuela: Disputed re-election of Maduro triggers demonstrations nationwide
On 28 July, the government-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) declared incumbent President Nicolás Maduro the winner of the presidential election with 51.2% of the votes, defeating his opponent Edmundo González of the Unitary Democratic Platform (PUD), with 44.2%.20Vanessa Buschschlüter, ‘Venezuela’s Maduro declared winner in disputed vote,’ BBC News, 29 July 2024 However, the opposition claimed the results were manipulated after the process was marred by the arrest of at least 101 members of González’s campaign team,21Ronny Rodríguez Rosas, ‘La campaña cierra en Venezuela con más de 100 detenciones políticas,’ Artículo 14, 26 July 2024 and one event in which unknown assailants cut the brakes of María Corina Machado’s convoy in the run-up to the election.22El Pitazo, ‘María Corina Machado denuncia atentado: vandalizaron los vehículos y les cortaron los frenos,’ 18 July 2024 Instead, it asserted that González had won the election with 67% of the votes, based on around 80% of the vote tallies it had managed to gather.23Deutsche Welle, ‘La oposición venezolana reclama su victoria electoral,’ 29 July 2024 The proclamation of Maduro as the winner has also raised an outcry internationally. The condemnation of several Latin American leaders prompted Maduro to expel seven diplomatic delegations from Caracas and break diplomatic relations with Peru, whose government recognized González as president-elect.24El Pitazo, ‘Gobierno de Maduro exige a siete países retirar de inmediato a su personal diplomático de Venezuela,’ 29 July 2024
The election results sparked widespread unrest contributing to a nearly three times increase in demonstrations in July compared to the previous month. Over 150 demonstrations were recorded following the vote in all states, and while mostly peaceful, at least 28% of them were violent. Protests were also heavily quashed by security forces and pro-government militias. The NGOs Provea and Foro Penal reported that by 7 August at least 24 people had been killed and 1,229 arrested, while the government reported up to 2,229 arrests.25Euronews, ‘Al menos 24 muertos y más de 2.200 detenidos en las protestas contra los resultados en Venezuela,’ 7 August 2024 As national and international tensions are unlikely to abate, the death toll and number of detentions may continue to climb.
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