GameChangers 2024: Organized Crime Gets Political
by Mike LaSusa

Criminal organizations showed this past year that they pose a growing threat to democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean, exerting nefarious influence over numerous elections and political situations throughout the region.

Some criminal groups directly threatened or killed candidates and elected officials, depriving citizens of their right to a freely chosen, truly representative government. In other cases, criminal networks used corruption to manipulate or obstruct elections, and to bend governments to their whim — regardless of the popular will.

This article is part of our Criminal GameChangers series for 2024. Read the other articles in the series here.

Organized crime also had indirect impacts on political dynamics. Some political leaders pursued hardline anti-crime policies that are politically popular but often at odds with human rights. Others found their reputations stained by allegations of ties to criminal activity.

In a year that saw major elections in more than a half-dozen countries in the region, organized crime clearly demonstrated the scale of the threat it poses to democracy. And some early signs suggest the situation could spiral into a destructive cycle.

https://insightcrime.org/news/gamechangers-2024-organized-crime-gets-political/