Deadly clashes broke out ahead of the presidential elections in Colombia, demonstrations over worsening humanitarian conditions took place in Cuba, and organized crime violence escalated in Honduras.
Trump's efforts to influence governments in the region in pursuit of his security strategy are effective, but unlikely to substantially curb organized crime and drug trafficking.
Violence surged in parts of Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti, while concerns loom over possible electoral violence in Peru.
The ELN in Colombia reacted to Trump’s threats with an armed strike, the turf war intensified between rival gangs in Ecuador’s Machala prison, and violence escalated in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Militarized responses to organized crime are likely to spread further as governments adopt tough-on-crime measures and the US exerts more pressure.
Gangs have resorted less to public displays of violence during the state of exception, but their presence in urban areas has not been dented, while organized crime groups have expanded their activities in rural areas.
Las pandillas recurrieron menos a las manifestaciones públicas de violencia durante el estado de excepción, pero su presencia en las zonas urbanas no se vio mermada, mientras que los grupos del crimen organizado ampliaron sus actividades en las zonas rurales.
An operation against the CV gang killed at least 121 people in Rio de Janeiro, gangs expanded across multiple areas in Artibonite, Haiti, and US strikes on vessels in the Pacific fueled diplomatic tensions.
A year since the implementation of the state of exception, its ability to curtail violence is unclear as criminal groups expand their areas of control and risks persist for civilians.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacts gang violence and activity in Central America as criminal actors adapt to new restrictions.