"Crime is flourishing in the Americas, particularly violent crime. The murder rate remains very high, at more than 20 per 100,000 inhabitants. The expansion of the drug trade, which is stronger than ever, has nourished the criminal landscape from the once-tranquil Uruguay to the perpetually troubled Guatemala. Armed groups born from the drug trade are seeking new businesses, left and right, top and bottom."
"A small green piece of paper, with a phrase written in capital letters, summed up the crime problems plaguing Latin America. It appeared in Guerrero, on Mexico's battered southern Pacific coast, but it could just as easily have been in Santiago, Chile, in Medellin, Colombia, or in any area of Guayaquil, Ecuador. It was a warning, a sheet pasted on corners and lampposts, a threat to merchants in a handful of neighborhoods, announcing that starting in December they would have to begin paying a fee."
Extortion has spread across cities and neighborhoods, forcing merchants to pay fees under threat of violence. Violent crime in the Americas remains elevated, with murder rates exceeding 20 per 100,000. The expanding drug trade has generated numerous armed groups that pursue multiple revenue streams beyond drugs, including extortion and exploitation of natural resources. Criminal networks have diversified and fragmented into many gangs operating under market logics, each seeking profit. The resulting spread of violent, adaptable groups increases risks to public security, economic activity, and state capacity across the region.
Read at english.elpais.com
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