The Shifting Landscape of Organized Crime in Latin America

• In Event: Violence and Organized Crime

Abstract

Organised crime is not new to Latin America, but in recent years, homicide rates have surged beyond a few hotspots. In countries previously considered safe, such as Ecuador, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Argentina, homicides linked to organised crime have risen sharply. In Ecuador, the homicide rate surged by 74.5% from 2022 to 2023, largely driven by drug-related violence, while in Uruguay, 56% of homicides between 2012 and 2022 stemmed from conflicts between criminal groups. Beyond security concerns, organised crime undermines public institutions, weakens governance, hinders economic development, and erodes democracy. This paper examines three key factors driving this phenomenon: (1) the expansion of transnational criminal groups and the fragmentation of local organisations, intensifying violence; (2) governance failures that enable organised crime due to weak, corrupt, or ineffective state institutions; and (3) the reconfiguration of drug trafficking routes and the growth of local illicit economies, reshaping criminal dynamics. The findings suggest that the interplay between transnational criminal networks, local criminal fragmentation, and institutional weakness contributes to escalating violence. Addressing organised crime violence in Latin America requires tailored, comprehensive, and multidimensional interventions, with evidence-based strategies that integrate security policies with broader efforts to reduce inequality, strengthen institutional resilience, and disrupt illegal markets.

Authors

• Gonzalo Croci, Universidad ORT Uruguay; Centro de Estudios Latinoamericanos sobre Inseguridad y Violencia (CELIV)

• Maite Larroca, Universidad ORT Uruguay

• Joel Gomez, Universidad ORT Uruguay