A humanitarian crisis is being ignored: Gang violence in Latin America
Photo Courtesy: Diego Delso (via Wikimedia Commons)
Across Latin America, gang violence is on the rise. Even in countries previously considered to be safe, such as Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Chile, murder rates are at some of the highest levels ever recorded. In 2022 alone, for example, the number of murders in Chile increased by 22%. And this alarming trend is only set to worsen. It is thought that homicide rates in Central America’s Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) will continue to rise over the next 20 years. The effects of Covid-19, record levels of drug production, and increased gang conflict have all augmented this regional insecurity.
In Ecuador, much of this increase in gang violence can be attributed to cocaine trafficking. The country has been a main gateway since 2009, when the country’s president at the time, Rafael Correa, closed an American naval base and thereby ended cooperation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Gangs such as Los Choneros became enmeshed as transportistas (drug traffickers), and cocaine has now become one of Ecuador’s biggest exports. Interestingly, the incarceration of drug traffickers has only helped gangs such as Los Choneros, because they are able to recruit and attack their enemies in prison. This is a key reason why 330 prisoners were murdered in Ecuador’s prison system in 2021, the highest number in the world.
Importantly, cocaine isn’t the only drug being used by gangs as currency. In Costa Rica, illegal weed has become popular amongst gangs as it is easier to move and has less barriers to entry. The current judiciary system in Costa Rica also stands to little effect. Having abolished its military in 1949, the country struggles with insufficient police and a judicial system that is unfair. For example, people are more likely to be convicted if they have a public defence attorney instead of a private one.
This rise in gang influence has resulted in the forced migration of many people in search of better opportunities. A report from the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) reporting on the Darién Gap region, a key escape route with treacherous geographical conditions, showed that three in ten migrants had left their country of origin because of threats to their family. Whilst the principal reason for people abandoning their homes is given to increased gang violence, byproducts of gang activity also include higher gender-based violence, economic deprivation, and increased hunger. And in the sphere of education, conflict often results in classes being cancelled, which in turn makes vulnerable children more susceptible to gang recruitment.
The humanitarian response is insufficient
Despite the terrible extent of this crisis, humanitarian response plans for Latin America were among the least well-funded in the world in 2022. In July of 2023, the European Commission finally announced an urgent €43 million humanitarian aid fund for Latin America and the Caribbean region. This is essential, but it is also directed solely at the displacement of people due to natural hazards - the focus on the impact of gang violence is lacking.
Moreover, 70% of all funding for Central America comes solely from the US, demonstrating the failure of other donor countries in Europe and Asia to participate in humanitarian aid. With the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the attention of donors has been diverted and funding has decreased. Humanitarian intervention is also complicated by the fact that gang violence is not defined as an armed conflict in International Humanitarian Law.
Without such increased attention and support for the situation in Latin America, however, little will change. Primarily, the guarantee of education and health services is needed. If schools are closed for weeks, children are impacted immensely, and are more prone to becoming involved in gangs. If there are measures in place to react to gang violence, staff may feel empowered to continue children’s education. Governments and local entities need to find their own solutions as well, but global acknowledgment that this gang conflict has become a humanitarian crisis is imperative. Attention needs to be diverted onto it, even in the face of other ongoing conflicts.
Following a visit to Honduras in April of this year, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egelandstated that “the kinds of stories people have been telling me here in Honduras are similar to those from people in war-zones like Syria, Yemen or Ukraine”. This comparison to more pre-eminent humanitarian issues highlights the need for more recognition and action in the face of Latin American gang violence.