Carlos Lehder Released: Medellín Cartel Co-Founder Walks Free in Colombia
Carlos Lehder Rivas, a founder of the notorious Medellín cartel, has been released from custody in Colombia following a court ruling that his previous drug trafficking conviction had expired. The decision, made by Judge Martha Yaneth Delgado, has reignited discussion in the Colombian legal system about justice for former cartel leaders. Lehder,...
Bukele's prison strategy expands: El Salvador takes in criminals from U.S.
El Salvador, under President Nayib Bukele, has deployed a strict strategy against criminal gangs such as MS-13 and Barrio 18. This approach, known as the "Territorial Control Plan," was strengthened after an outbreak of violence claimed 87 lives in March 2022. The government declared a state of emergency, leading to mass arrests of suspected gang members and the suspension of certain fundamental rights. A [...]
Haiti on the brink: Gangs, violence and hope for change
The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 has exacerbated Haiti's constitutional crisis. The parliament is no longer functioning and the judicial system is facing enormous problems. Late last month, the transitional council elected Garry Conille as the new prime minister; he arrived in Haiti this weekend. Will Conille be able to restore order and end the chaos gripping the country?
333 days on an unknown front line
It's easy to talk in hindsight, we sometimes say. And I agree, sometimes that statement is rather simplistic. As a researcher, with conflict and crisis areas as my field of work, I have become familiar with uncertainty and chaos, with facing dangers from time to time. I have managed to hold my own in [...]
'My cousin is dying'
As soon as I walk through the gate of her home in Cabimas, I get a hug that doesn't seem to stop. These have been difficult days for her. Last week, she received her first cancer treatment. She was lucky; the drugs needed for treatment were crowdfunded by her daughter who lives in Europe. The [...]
Opinion: the Netherlands fatally irresponsible
While all of Venezuela's neighbors are doing everything possible to control the flow of refugees and increase pressure on Maduro's dictatorial regime, refugees must be deported from the Dutch Kingdom at all costs, with all the consequences that entails. Even making deals with internationally wanted criminals is not [...]
In conversation with Jan Roos at Cafe Weltschmerz
Cafe Weltschmerz: Venezuela is one of the most dangerous countries in the world with 27,000 murders annually. 96% of those go unsolved. Journalist Michel Baljet needs a team of locals to feel somewhat protected to walk through Caracas. A report on developments in a neighboring country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
How one of the richest countries in the world can be poor - Part 1
Yesterday in Venezuela, following an investigation into "illegal exchange rates," 86 people were arrested, 112 arrest warrants issued, 596 raids conducted and 1133 bank accounts frozen. Maduro calls it the outcome of one of the largest criminal investigations in history. But really, it is nothing more than a distraction from the real problem. No exchange offices [...]
One thought: The life of a freelance journalist
To begin with. I am aware that I have the choice to do what I do. I see it as a privilege. In many countries, people don't have a choice. I could have done something else. I also know that I don't exactly have the greatest resume right now. Those who give me a [...]
Oscar Perez. Public enemy No. 1, or an invention of Maduro?
After a seven-month manhunt, a standoff took place yesterday in a suburb of Caracas (El Junquito) between security forces and several people from Oscar Perez's group. This standoff could be followed minutely via social media until 16:11, the moment when another part of his group indicated communication with him [...].
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