El Centro

From Insurgency to Illicit Trade: Analyzing FARC Dissidents in the Cocaine Market

ZFTWARNING — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 02:06:25 +0000

From Insurgency to Illicit Trade: Analyzing FARC Dissidents in the Cocaine Market

Colombia holds a crucial role in the global drug trade, serving as a major source of cocaine linked to its historical conflicts and ongoing violence. The nation has been marred by some of history's most notorious drug trafficking organizations, including the Medellín and Cali cartels, which have significantly affected Colombia's stability and safety. Additionally, Colombia has been home to several violent revolutionary groups. For decades, organizations like FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and the ELN (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – National Liberation Army) engaged in armed conflict, exacerbating the country’s violence.

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SWJ El Centro Book Review – Children of a Modest Star: Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crises

ZFTWARNING — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 18:57:23 +0000

SWJ El Centro Book Review – Children of a Modest Star: Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crises

SWJ−El Centro Associate Daniel Weisz Argomedo Reviews of "Children of a Modest Star: Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crises" by Jonathan S. Blake and Nils Gilman.

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Twin Insurgency, Irregular War, and Oil Theft in Nigeria and Brazil: An Overview

ZFTWARNING — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 04:11:16 +0000

Twin Insurgency, Irregular War, and Oil Theft in Nigeria and Brazil: An Overview

This article by SWJ−El Centro Intern Zachary Horsington reviews the concept of twin insurgency and its constituent components of criminal insurgency and plutocratic insurgency in order to illuminate case studies of oil theft in Nigeria and Brazil.

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Perspective: Beyond Narcos − Mexico, the United States, Nearshoring and Organized Crime

ZFTWARNING — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 19:06:12 +0000

Perspective: Beyond Narcos − Mexico, the United States, Nearshoring and Organized Crime

This essay by two SWJ−El Centro scholars looks at the complexities of US-Mexico relations and the need for cooperation based upon mutual respect to address transnational organized crime.

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Perspective: Unmasking the Turf Wars − The Complex Rivalries of Turkish Mafia Groups in Europe and Links to Latin America

ZFTWARNING — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:39:45 +0000

Perspective: Unmasking the Turf Wars − The Complex Rivalries of Turkish Mafia Groups in Europe and Links to Latin America

This article provides perspective on Turkish organized crime and its links throughout Europe and Latin America.

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Perspective: Irregular Warfare in Strategic Competition and Gray Zones, Prosecuting Authoritarian Subversion and Exploitative Use of Corruption and Criminality to Weaken Democracy

ZFTWARNING — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 03:41:15 +0000

Perspective: Irregular Warfare in Strategic Competition and Gray Zones, Prosecuting Authoritarian Subversion and Exploitative Use of Corruption and Criminality to Weaken Democracy

This commentary summarizes the author’s presentation to the United States Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment (SMA) Speaker Series at the Pentagon, Washington, DC on 22 August 2024.The author is Executive Director of the International Coalition Against Illicit Economies (ICAIE)

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Perspective: Colombia's Security Crisis – An Emerging Dilemma for US Foreign Policy

ZFTWARNING — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 22:01:05 +0000

Perspective: Colombia's Security Crisis – An Emerging Dilemma for US Foreign Policy

This essay by Colombian scholar provides insight into the bilateral US-Colombia policy challenges as transnational gangs and criminal armed groups threaten Colombian and regional security

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Underworld Crossroads: Dark Networks and Global Illicit Trade in the Tri-border Area Between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay

ZFTWARNING — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 01:17:49 +0000

Underworld Crossroads: Dark Networks and Global Illicit Trade in the Tri-border Area Between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay

This article provides an overview of research on the Tri-border area (TBA) between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay conducted by the authors as part of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) at George Mason University project ‘Hubs of Illicit Trade.’

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Perspective: El Mayo, Los Chapitos and the Kingpin Strategy

ZFTWARNING — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:31:51 +0000

Perspective: El Mayo, Los Chapitos and the Kingpin Strategy

This essay by SWJ-El Centro Fellow Dr. Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera provides perspective on the recent arrests of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López

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Perspectiva: El Mayo, Los Chapitos y la Estrategia Kingpin

ZFTWARNING — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:24:46 +0000

Perspectiva: El Mayo, Los Chapitos y la Estrategia Kingpin

Este ensayo de la Dra. Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, compañera de SWJ-El Centro, ofrece una perspectiva sobre las recientes detenciones de Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada y Joaquín Guzmán López.

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