Latin America & the Caribbean
For Colombia’s Social Leaders, Peace is Far from Total
23 February 2024
Social leaders are some of the most visible victims of Colombia’s internal armed conflict. Despite a slight decrease — arguably linked to negotiations between armed groups and the government — ACLED records 227 targeted attacks against them in 2023, particularly in areas where armed groups vie for control of drug trafficking corridors and resources
Read MoreConflict Watchlist 2024 | Mexico: Confronting Deadly Political and Criminal Power Struggles in an Election Year
17 January 2024
Mexico ranks among the world’s most extreme conflicts in the ACLED Conflict Index, a position it is unlikely to cede, as the flow of people and drugs to the United States — two key drivers of conflict between criminal groups — are at all-time highs, while the 2024 general elections are likely to kindle political violence.
Read MoreConflict Watchlist 2024 | Haiti: Gangs and Vigilantes Thrive Amid Political Deadlock
17 January 2024
The intensification and ongoing spread of gang violence to new areas of Haiti highlights the government’s inability to address the security crisis. The diffused nature of violence has pushed Haiti to the number eight ranking in the ACLED Conflict Index, a significant jump compared to the past year.
Read MoreFighting Gangs Under the State of Exception in Honduras
5 December 2023
A year after the implementation of a state of exception by Honduran President Xiomara Castro on 6 December 2022, this report explores the evolution of violence likely related to gang activity between January and November 2023
Read MoreThe Killing of Villavicencio: A Symptom of Rising Political Violence Ahead of Ecuador’s Snap Elections
14 August 2023
Election Watch The Killing of Villavicencio: A Symptom of Rising Political Violence Ahead of Ecuador’s Snap Elections 14 August 2023 On 9 August, an armed man shot and killed Ecuadorian…
Read MoreSpecial Issue on the Targeting of Local Officials: Brazil
22 June 2023
The targeting of local officials in Brazil is more pervasive and deadly at the municipal level in all scenarios, and heightened during local elections. Ongoing investigations on the interference of organized crime in the latest election in the states of Piauí and Rio de Janeiro points to continuous involvement of gangs and militias in the elections. Heading into the 2024 municipal elections, heightened tensions stoked by national politics and the collusive relationship between organized criminal groups and some local authorities are likely to amplify existing party tensions and exacerbate local political rivalries.
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