'Criminal markets' escalate in Latin America

Organized crime has increased its incidence in Latin America, especially if we look at the activities that generate profits, such as human trafficking and the trade in synthetic drugs, according to a report prepared by the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI- OCD, for its acronym in English).

“Criminal markets” include many more activities, such as extortion, fuel theft and piracy, among others.

The non-profit organization produces the Global Organized Crime Index every two years in which it classifies 193 countries in order of highest crime incidence and three Latin American countries make up the

top

10. Myanmar, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Democratic Republic of the Congo , Nigeria, South Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Ecuador (tied with Syria) are the first countries on the list, in that order.

Within the report, GI-TOC also offers a subindex that analyzes the strength of the “criminal markets” and on that list are Mexico at number one, Colombia at five, Brazil at eight and Ecuador at 14. “Yes “If the scores of criminal markets in the Americas are compared from 2021 to 2023, a deterioration is observed in all markets,” says the 248-page report, published on January 17.

“Ecuador stands out for being the country in which these scores have increased the most…another country that has experienced a notable increase is Chile,” the specialists warn.

“Along with the expansion of the cocaine market in the Americas, there has been a significant increase in the trade in synthetic drugs,” the text reads.

“North America is the third most affected region in the world in this regard.

Within the continent, Mexico seems to be the most affected by this market.”

In 2022, the country emerged as a major player in the synthetic drug trade and saw an increase in the popularity and production of ketamine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, the researchers wrote.

“While Mexico undoubtedly became the center of attention, other countries in the region also experienced a rise in their synthetic drug markets.

The increase in the hallucinogen called “pink cocaine” in Venezuela, Peru, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Panama demonstrates the increase in the use and distribution of synthetic drugs beyond Mexico,” the report says.

In a span of just two years, Ecuador has witnessed a significant increase in crime levels.

“This is due, first, to a very strong failure in the administration of justice and public investment in public security policy, penitentiary policy and the administration of justice,” explains Romain Le Coeur Grandmaison, specialist and one of the authors of the report. .

Ecuador let go of the public security strategy in recent years, says Le Coeur Grandmaison.

“We do not know exactly to what extent it is active corruption, passive corruption of public lack of understanding, lack of investment, lack of follow-up, lack of attention.”

The second cause is the new “crucial” role that Ecuador plays in the transportation of cocaine leaving Colombia and Peru, points out Le Coeur Grandmaison.

“Drugs reach the port of Guayaquil, a port that always played a very strong role in criminal economies, but which in the last five years has become greater.

What you have there is the perfect storm,” the specialist said in an interview.

The homicide rate in Ecuador went from six per 100,000 inhabitants in 2019 to 25.6 in 2022.

In the case of Chile, GI-TOC assures in its report: “Although it is possible that the situation in Chile cannot yet be compared with that of Mexico and Colombia, the country is showing alarming analogies in terms of the practices associated to organized crime.

For example, signs of territorial control by criminal gangs have been observed, as have other phenomena that until now were not common in the country, such as 'narco-funerals'.”

Globally, the financial crime market is the most prevalent, with Mexico and Guyana among the top 10 countries worldwide.

“In Mexico, for example, financial crimes involve State institutions and entities and individuals in the private sector and the main problems are misappropriation of public funds, tax evasion and corruption,” warns GI-TOC.

“Criminal networks in the Americas play a fundamental role on the world stage and Colombia, Mexico and Peru are among the top five countries for this indicator,” the report says.

Colombia ranked first in the world for criminal networks and groups of this type.

Venezuela was on par with Colombia in the indicator of mafia-type groups, closely followed by Mexico, Honduras, Haiti and El Salvador.

Follow all the information on

Economy

and

Business

on

Facebook

and

X

, or in our

weekly newsletter

Subscribe to continue reading

Read without limits

Keep reading

I am already a subscriber

_