InSight Crime | From the Ground Up

Two weeks ago, we published what was supposed to be the final episode of The Shadow of El Dorado, our podcast series exploring the story of Segovia, a small mining town in Colombia tainted by blood gold. But while we were publishing the series, one of the people we had followed throughout our investigation, Jaime Gallego, was abducted, tortured, and murdered. As one of the leaders of the mesa minera  – or mining roundtable – Jaime represented Segovia’s informal miners in their struggles with the Colombian government and the Canadian multinational that is the legal owner of Segovia’s gold. This work earned him at least 23 death threats, and, ultimately, would cost him his life. This week, we are launching a special episode to tell his story.

El descubrimiento de un campo de exterminio y trabajo forzado del Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) ha generado luto nacional en México y evidencia las crueles tácticas del grupo criminal para reclutar miembros. El 24 de marzo, el secretario de Seguridad Ciudadana de México, Omar García Harfuch, anunció durante una conferencia de prensa que las autoridades habían detenido a alias “El Comandante Lastra”, un integrante del CJNG presuntamente responsable de actos de reclutamiento forzado.Campo de exterminio en México expone los horrores del reclutamiento forzado del CJNG | Escrito por Mariana Fernández y leído por Daniel Reyes.Visite ⁠insightcrime.org⁠ para más información.

The Trump administration’s decision to return a high-profile gang boss facing terrorism charges to El Salvador as part of a controversial effort to deport hundreds of Venezuelan citizens could signal the US government’s willingness to compromise its longstanding MS13 crackdown in favor of mass deportation.César Humberto López Larios, alias “Greñas,” a veteran leader of the MS13 street gang, was flown to El Salvador on March 15 alongside other suspected Salvadoran gang members and more than 200 Venezuelans accused by US officials of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang.López Larios was among a group of 14 members of the MS13’s historic leadership ring charged with terrorism in a landmark case initiated during Trump’s first administration. At the time, authorities called it the “highest-reaching and most sweeping indictment” to ever target the gang.Could US Deportations Compromise Trump Administration’s MS13 Crackdown? | Written and narrated by Alex Papadovassilakis.Visit ⁠insightcrime.org⁠ for more information.

We head back to Segovia after several years away. Has the town been able to escape the blood gold cycle? ____This is the final episode of the series. If you’d like to explore past episodes, dive deeper into our investigation through related videos, interviews, documents, and photos, be sure to visit the podcast page. If you've already listened to the full series, we’d love to hear your thoughts—leave your comments below. Thanks for listening and supporting our work.

Tensions between informal miners and the Canadian multinational that is the legal owner of the town’s gold have been building ever since we first arrived in Segovia. And now that conflict is reaching breaking point.__Listen to the full series and explore additional content from the investigation here

Segovia goes into lockdown when a new gold war begins as Colombia’s broader conflict enters a new chapter. But is this an existential battle between legal and illegal, or is that just wartime propaganda?__This series follows reporters James Bargent and Mat Charles as they head to the Colombian town of Segovia, in search of the blood gold that contaminates global supply chains and ends up in the hands of everyday consumers. But what they find there challenges conventional understandings of conflict minerals as they expose how it is not only warlords and gangsters that grow rich from dirty gold, but also global political and business elites. We have some incredible additional content, which will take you right into the thick of the action, and allow you to explore this head-spinning story with the depth it deserves.Listen to the series and explore all the aditional content here

Global capitalism marches into town, pledging to save Segovia from itself. But what – or who – lies behind the promises of a new era of stability and prosperity for all? ___This series is the product of 10 years of investigative work in one of the most dangerous corners of Colombia. This work is not only risky, it is also expensive. But we believe it is important. If you would like to help InSight Crime continue to produce in depth investigations as well as news and analysis of the security issues facing the region today, consider making a donation.

The Frontino story leads us right back to them – the paramilitary groups that have lurked in the shadows of Segovia for generations – and our definition of blood gold begins to expand as the line between legal and illegal fades away. _The Shadow of El Dorado is not just a podcast. We also have some incredible additional content, which will take you right into the thick of the action, and allow you to explore this head-spinning story with the depth it deserves. Explore each episode page for more.___UUVMzE4lQ2yETD5wguah

Our blood gold investigation takes an unexpected turn as we dive into the story of Frontino Gold Mines, a decades-old mystery that could hold the key to understanding how Segovia became the mafia town we see today.__The Shadow of El Dorado is not just a podcast, we also have some incredible additional content to explore. Visit the podcast page to see videos, photos, interviews, and to follow the paper trail of key documents we uncovered during the investigation. (edited) _UUVMzE4lQ2yETD5wguah

Our search for Colombia’s blood gold takes us to Segovia and the illegal mines at the very beginning of the global supply chain. But what we find there is a strange mirror world, where conventional narratives fall apart, and the names and labels we try to apply do not make sense.__The Shadow of El Dorado is not just a podcast, we also have some incredible additional content to explore. Visit the podcast page to see videos, photos, interviews, and to follow the paper trail of key documents we uncovered during the investigation.insightcrime.org

In this episode, we dive into the 2025 presidential elections in Ecuador, a country that was once the envy of Latin America for its stability and safety. On February 9, voters went to the polls, and now, incumbent Daniel Noboa and challenger Luisa González are headed for a crucial second-round vote in April.But this election is taking place amid a severe security crisis. Formerly known for its low homicide rates and booming economy, Ecuador is grappling with surging violence and organized crime. How did a country so stable slip into chaos, and how are the candidates addressing these issues?In this episode, we speak with Steven Dudley, co-director of InSight Crime, who helps us unpack the security challenges Ecuador faces and how these issues are shaping the election. From escalating violence to the candidates’ proposals on crime and safety, we explore what’s at stake for Ecuador’s future.Ecuador’s Path Forward: Crime, Elections, and the Next President | Interview between Liza Schmidt and Steven Dudley.Visit insightcrime.org for more information.

La relación del gobierno venezolano con el Tren de Aragua ha sido objeto de escrutinio tras las acusaciones de que el ministro del Interior pudo estar detrás de un complot para contratar a la banda para llevar a cabo un asesinato político en Chile.Las autoridades chilenas buscan la extradición de varios presuntos miembros del Tren de Aragua acusados de secuestrar y asesinar al exmilitar venezolano Ronald Ojeda en Santiago, la capital chilena. El 1 de marzo de 2024 el cuerpo de Ojeda fue encontrado dentro de una maleta, nueve días después de haber sido secuestrado por un grupo de hombres vestidos como oficiales de policía chilenos.Uno de los individuos en la mira de los fiscales chilenos es Luis Alfredo Carrillo Ortiz, alias «El Gocho». La policía colombiana arrestó al presunto miembro de esta banda criminal transnacional venezolana el 6 de febrero.Lo que un asesinato en Chile reveló sobre la relación de Maduro con el Tren de Aragua | Escrito por la Unidad Investigativa de Venezuela de InSight Crime y Narrado por Daniel Reyes.Visite insightcrime.org para más información.

Apenas dos semanas después de tomar posesión, el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, dio un ultimátum a los gobiernos de Canadá, China y México.Si no intensificaban sus esfuerzos para interrumpir el flujo de drogas sintéticas y migración irregular hacia Estados Unidos, el gobierno impondría nuevos aranceles a casi todos los bienes importados de esos países.Por qué los aranceles estadounidenses no detendrán el flujo de fentanilo o de migrantes desde México | Escrito por Parker Asmann, y narrado por Daniel Reyes.Visiteinsightcrime.org para más información.

Just two weeks after taking office, US President Donald Trump gave the governments of Canada, China, and Mexico an ultimatum.If they did not step up efforts to disrupt the flow of synthetic drugs and irregular migration into the United States, the government would impose new tariffs on nearly all goods imported from those countries.Why Trump’s Tariffs Won’t Slow the Flow of Migrants or Fentanyl From Mexico | Written and narrated by Parker Asmann.Visit insightcrime.org for more information.

InSight Crime set out to the town of Segovia in search of Colombia’s blood gold – gold that makes us, the global consumers, complicit in conflict, crime, and corruption. But what we found was a trail that led not only to gangsters and warlords, but also to presidents and billionaire investors. Join us as we uncover the hidden story of Segovia’s descent from a company town to a mafia town and expose the savage capitalism that runs wild in the forgotten corners of the global economy.First two episodes out on February 20th... Stay tuned.

Los golpes en la puerta retumbaron en toda la casa.Era una mañana de un domingo de enero de 2021, en Tibú, un municipio del departamento colombiano de Norte de Santander, cerca de la frontera con Venezuela.“Escuchamos los golpes y yo miré a mi esposo”, contó Mar*. “Nosotros no esperábamos a nadie y nos extrañó que tocaran con tanta insistencia y fuerza”.El esposo de Mar, Jaime*, abrió la puerta y se encontró con seis hombres vestidos de civil. Sin embargo, se percató de que todos tenían en sus manos armas largas. Los hombres se identificaron como miembros de la guerrilla del Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) y preguntaron por Mar. Le exigieron que saliera, pues tenían un mensaje para ella.“Yo estaba aterrada, pero miré a mi esposo y luego a mi hijo y pensé ‘No, yo tengo que salir, es peor si ellos entran a la fuerza’”, explicó Mar.Al salir, se encontró con miradas hostiles. Uno de los hombres —el líder del grupo— dio un paso al frente y se dirigió a ella. La acusó de ser informante del Ejército y, además, le dijo que se presentaban en su casa porque tenían la orden de asesinarla.Las informantes de Tibú: cómo el Estado colombiano desató una ola de feminicidios | Escrito por Alicia Flórez y Lara Loaiza, y narrado por Lara Loaiza.Visite⁠insightcrime.org⁠ para más información.

A banging on the door echoed throughout the house. It was a Sunday morning in January 2021, in Tibú, a municipality in the Colombian department of Norte de Santander, near the Venezuelan border. “We heard the knocking, and I looked at my husband,” said Mar*. “We weren’t expecting anyone, and we were surprised at such insistent, forceful knocking.” Mar’s husband, Jaime*, opened the door and found six men in civilian clothes with long guns in their hands. The men identified themselves as members of the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN) guerrillas and asked for Mar. They demanded that she come out of the house, as they had a message for her. “I was terrified, but I looked at my husband and then at my son and thought, ‘No, I have to go out, it’s worse if they break in,’” Mar explained. On her way out, she was met with hostile stares. One of the men — the leader of the group — stepped forward and addressed her. He accused her of being an army informant and told her that they were there because they had orders to kill her. The Informants of Tibú: How the Colombian State Unleashed a Wave of Femicides⁠ | Written by Alicia Flórez and Lara Loaiza, and narrated by Lara Loaiza. Visit ⁠insightcrime.org⁠ for more information.

After five years of booming fentanyl trafficking in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, “the bosses,” as he called the Sinaloa Cartel faction of the Chapitos, issued a blunt directive: stop all production in the state. Sinaloa had long been the epicenter in Mexico of illicit fentanyl production, a synthetic opioid linked to hundreds of thousands of overdoses across North America over the past decade. According to US authorities, the Chapitos – the sons of the infamous drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán – were among the key figures driving this epidemic. How Fentanyl Producers in Mexico Are Adapting to a Challenging Market | Written by Victoria Dittmar and Paulina Ríos, and narrated by Victoria Dittmar Visit insightcrime.org for more information.

Tras cinco años de auge del tráfico de fentanilo desde el estado noroccidental de Sinaloa, “los señores”, como él se refiere a la facción de los Chapitos del Cartel de Sinaloa, habían dado una orden tajante: cesar por completo la producción en el estado.Sinaloa había sido el epicentro en México de la producción ilícita de fentanilo, el opioide sintético ligado a cientos de miles de sobredosis en Norteamérica durante la última década. Según las autoridades de Estados Unidos, los Chapitos – hijos del narcotraficante Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán – son unos de los principales responsables de esta epidemia.Los productores de fentanilo en México se adaptan a los retos del mercado | Escrito por Victoria Dittmar y Paulina Ríos, y narrado por Victoria Dittmar.Visiteinsightcrime.org para más información.

En junio de 2024, el Ministerio de Gobernación de Guatemala presentó una denuncia ante el Ministerio Público contra 102 guardias penitenciarios señalados de corrupción. Los guardias habían estado a cargo de una infame prisión de pandillas en el departamento de Escuintla, conocida como “El Infiernito”. Días antes de que salieran a la luz las acusaciones, las autoridades descubrieron allí todo tipo de contrabando: armas, alcohol, animales vivos (entre ellos cocodrilos, mapaches y un águila), aparatos de aire acondicionado, máquinas tragamonedas y más de US$23.000 en efectivo. El ecléctico botín se produjo durante una redada destinada a restablecer el control de la ostentosa prisión de máxima seguridad. ¿Qué ocurrió cuando el Ministerio de Gobernación de Guatemala intentó despedir a 102 guardias penitenciarios señalados de corrupción? | Escrito y narrado por Alex Papadovassilakis. Visite insightcrime.org para más información.

In June 2024, Guatemala’s Interior Ministry filed a legal complaint with the Attorney General’s Office against 102 prison guards it accused of corruption. The guards had been manning a notorious gang prison in the Escuintla department, known colloquially as “El Infiernito,” or “Little Hell.” There, days before the accusations surfaced, authorities discovered all manner of contraband – including weapons, alcohol, live animals (among them crocodiles, raccoons, and an eagle), air conditioning units, slot machines, and over $23,000 in cash. The eclectic haul came during a raid aimed at restoring control of what is ostensibly a maximum security prison. Arévalo, One Year On: Is Guatemala’s President Losing the Fight Against Corruption? | Written and narrated by Alex Papadovassilakis. Visit ⁠insightcrime.org⁠ for more

El año 2024 ofreció algunos recordatorios contundentes de que el dinero del narcotráfico puede llegar a los niveles más altos de la política. Desde Honduras hasta México y Colombia, acusaciones de contribuciones provenientes del narcotráfico sacudieron los cimientos del poder y alteraron las relaciones internacionales. Este artículo hace parte de la serie GameChangers 2024, que repasa las principales tendencias sobre el crimen organizado del año anterior y perspectivas para este año en la región. Publicado en enero 3 de 2025 Escrito por Steven Dudley y narrado por Elisa Roldán GameChangers 2024: Cómo el dinero del narco llegó hasta lo más alto del poder político en las Américas Para más sobre nuestra cobertura, visite insightcrime.org

The year 2024 included some stark reminders that drug trafficking money can reach the highest levels of politics. From Honduras to Mexico to Colombia, allegations of narco-political contributions shook the foundations of power and disrupted international relations. This article, read by the author, chronicles these dramatic cases. It formed part of the 2024 GameChangers series, which recounts the year's most important trends in organized crime in the Americas. January 03, 2025 | Written and narrated by Steven Dudley GameChangers 2024: Narco Money Scandals Reach the Apex of Political Power in the Americas Visit insightcrime.org for more

In our last episode of this season we explore the incredible life of Raúl Mijango, the rebel turned congressman turned gang mediator turned inmate who personified what has since become a lost cause in El Salvador: negotiating with street gangs. And, ironically, may have been one of the first victims of a controversial, hard line strategy that has since led to the incarceration of tens of thousands of Salvadorans. This was the last episode of our first season of InSight Crime’s Podcast. Let us know your thoughts in the comments! At InSight Crime, we investigate from the ground up, inspired by the idea that organized crime is not a boring multisyllabic expression or yet another true-crime story from the suburbs, but a matter of life and death for millions of people across the Americas.

Judge Ivana David has been working in the Brazil's prison system for 30 years, which gave her a front row seat to the emergence of the PCC. Its rise startled Brazil and beyond, but it is was not anomaly. In fact, it is part of a region-wide trend where prison-based criminal groups dominate the underworld in the Americas. More about the PCC and our coverage on prisons and gangs at ⁠insightcrime.org

Abraham Barberi is a walking paradox. He is from Mexico but lives in the United States. He does missionary work but plays guitar in a death metal band. He is a Baptist pastor but advocates for migrants and asylum seekers. This is the story of how he navigates these contradictions in Matamoros, the birthplace of Mexico’s Gulf Cartel and one of the country’s most dangerous cities. Sociedad Demente, by My place Was Taken.

On June 20, 2023, at least 46 inmates were killed by members of the 18th Street gang at Honduras’ National Female Penitentiary for Social Adaptation, in what was one of the deadliest massacres ever recorded in a women’s prison in Latin America. But it wasn’t the first massacre in this prison. Three years earlier, six women, allegedly linked to the MS13, also lost their lives at the hands of the 18th Street gang there. InSight Crime tells the stories of two rival gang members inside this prison, who, despite coming from very similar contexts, are ready to engage in a war with each other. More about this story at ⁠insightcrime.org

In Colombia, farming coca for cocaine production provides an alternative livelihood in the midst of poverty and state abandonment. At the same time, coca cultivation brings a curse. Behind the coca trade are armed groups, massacres, murders, and displacements. This dichostomy can only be truly understood by those who have experienced it firsthand, as Ana has done. Through her story, InSight Crime explores the evolution of organized crime in Putumayo, Colombia — and how, despite promises of peace, coca continues to affect the fate of an entire department. More about this story and our coverage of coca, cocaine, and organized crime in Colombia at insightcrime.org

In 2019, a series of wildfires—largely set to clear land for agribusiness and make way for new residents — devastated Santa Cruz, the Bolivian state on the edge of the Amazon. Behind the fires was a pernicious force: organized crime. Illegal land grabs and timber traffickers spurred the wildfires, which continue today. In this podcast, through the stories of two volunteer firefighters, InSight Crime will tell the story of these fires and the criminals behind them, some of whom come from the government itself.

For over a decade, InSight Crime has investigated organized crime in the Americas. Across the hemisphere, we’ve interviewed thousands of people, from government insiders to victims caught in the crossfire, from criminal operators to tireless NGO leaders. We’ve also witnessed firsthand the many masks that organized crime wears in places where corruption often takes center stage. Throughout, we’ve discovered tales of anguish, resilience, unexpected joys, and undying hope. Join us on our podcast, as we decipher the various layers of corruption, unravel the complex dynamics of crime, and bear witness to the indomitable human spirit.