–Researched and Written by Megan Bird— On July 17, Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was sentenced to life imprisonment for charges including engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to launder narcotics proceeds, international distribution of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other drugs, and the use of firearms. Guzmán, known for repeatedly escaping from

New judicial processes surrounding the Santrich case in Colombia highlight the changing attitudes about guerrilla groups and the illegal drug trade.

Latin America is the most violent region of the world; 37% of worldwide homicides occur in the Americas, almost all of which happened in Latin America, despite the fact that the region is home to just 8% of the world’s population.

At least four Facebook pages based in Costa Rica have been spreading anti-government messages, promoting a coup d’etat against the president, Carlos Alvarado.

In Colombia, social leaders face a dangerous reality; every few days another leader is assassinated.

El Archivo Histórico de la Policía Nacional (AHPN), the national police archive in Guatemala, has recently seen a change in oversight from the United Nations Development Program to the Ministry of Culture.

On June 19, Human Rights Watch released a report on the repression of demonstrators and dissenters in Nicaragua who have been protesting Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo’s regime since April 2018.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), presented the results of a detailed investigation into Nicaragua’s political prosecution on June 17th.

Mexico City’s Attorney General, Ernestina Godoy, says that there is a “crisis of violence” in the city which can be seen in the large volume of cases involving first-degree murders.

In 2016, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced a final agreement to end the conflict and build a lasting peace. However, as dissidents of FARC join with other rebel forces, the development of peace in Colombia is being jeopardized.