Abstract
Latin America is one of the world’s most violent regions, with 40 of the 50 most violent cities, but with only 8% of the world’s population, and a staggering 33% of global homicides. At the forefront of these high levels of violence are gangs that are more flexible and persistent than previously thought. This paper provides a discussion on gangs in one Latin American city, Medellin, Colombia, where different non-state groups have contributed to changing patterns of homicide rates. The paper presents preliminary findings to show how, despite the city experiencing a 90% reduction in homicide rates in less than 25 years, violent non-state groups have become embedded as part and product of their environment, acting as coherent, logical and functional players, linked to the structural inequalities and institutional fragility of the larger society.
Highlights
Latin America is one of the most world’s most violent regions, with 40 of the 50 most violent cities [1], but with only 8% of the world’s population, and a staggering 33% of global homicides [2], a situation that has been described as a “murder epidemic” [3]
This paper provides a discussion on the specific case of Medellin, Colombia, examining the complexities of the different non-state violent groups in this environment and the relationship they have with their host communities
The paper begins with a discussion of the emergence of violence in Latin American cities, showing how levels of urban poverty and inequalities are linked to the presence of gangs in these environments
Summary
Latin America is one of the most world’s most violent regions, with 40 of the 50 most violent cities [1], but with only 8% of the world’s population, and a staggering 33% of global homicides [2], a situation that has been described as a “murder epidemic” [3]. At the forefront of these high levels of violence are gangs This paper provides a discussion on the specific case of Medellin, Colombia, examining the complexities of the different non-state violent groups (gangs linked to narco-trafficking, militia groups and paramilitaries) in this environment and the relationship they have with their host communities. The paper begins with a discussion of the emergence of violence in Latin American cities, showing how levels of urban poverty and inequalities are linked to the presence of gangs in these environments. A discussion is provided on gangs in the Northern Triangle (Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador) and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, highlighting the type of relationship the groups have with their host communities and the wider society
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