Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: April 2026
Demonstrations surged in Cuba and Venezuela, and Ecuadorian authorities stepped up operations against armed groups as tensions with Colombia increased.
Staff
María Fernanda Arocha
Central America Research Manager
Maria Fernanda Arocha is the Central America Research Manager at ACLED and has been with the organization since October 2018. She currently leads the Central American desk, managing the coding team, supporting the review of data quality, and assisting in data analysis. María Fernanda holds a Master’s degree in Peace, Conflict, and Development from the University of Bradford and a B.A. in Political Science from Javeriana University. Her research interests are related to organized crime dynamics, security policies, and their impacts on development conditions in Latin America.
Content by this author
Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: March 2026
The killing of CJNG leader El Mencho set off violence in Mexico, and armed group activity in Colombia could lead to violence around elections.
Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: February 2026
US-Venezuela relations thaw after the capture of Maduro, clashes between cartels led to a spike in criminal violence in Mexico, and Guatemala imposed a state of emergency.
Last line of defense? How vigilante groups are transforming Haiti’s security landscape
Gang violence and state responses dominate discussions about Haiti’s security crisis, but vigilantism is playing a growing role in the country.
Haiti’s vigilantes rise up against gang violence, but civilians remain vulnerable — Comment from Maria Fernanda Arocha
ACLED’s Central America Research Manager Maria Fernanda Arocha comments on how vigilante groups are transforming Haiti’s security landscape.
Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: January 2026
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.
Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: December 2025
Anti-gang operations in Haiti escalated around Port-au-Prince, the killing of a mayor in Mexico triggered protests, and the Trump administration doubled down its pressure on Maduro.
Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: November 2025
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.
Past events
Webinar | How the Sinaloa Cartel rift is redrawing Mexico’s criminal map
Watch the recorded webinar examining how the fallout of the Sinaloa Cartel dispute has set off a broader realignment of criminal groups in Mexico and opened up opportunities for new conflicts in contested territories.
