Maria Fernanda Arocha is the Central America Research Manager at ACLED and has been with the organization since October 2018. She currently leads the Central American desk, managing the coding team, supporting the review of data quality, and assisting in data analysis. María Fernanda holds a Master’s degree in Peace, Conflict, and Development from the University of Bradford and a B.A. in Political Science from Javeriana University. Her research interests are related to organized crime dynamics, security policies, and their impacts on development conditions in Latin America.
An operation against the CV gang killed at least 121 people in Rio de Janeiro, gangs expanded across multiple areas in Artibonite, Haiti, and US strikes on vessels in the Pacific fueled diplomatic tensions.
Brazilians protested amid Bolsonaro’s sentencing, Argentines protested Milei’s policies and corruption, and the Viv Ansanm alliance expanded its operations in Haiti.
Violence intensified in northern Veracruz state in Mexico, Venezuela mobilized forces as the US deployed warships and personnel to the Caribbean, and new security measures in prisons in Guatemala triggered coordinated riots.
In July, the Los Choneros leader’s arrest in Manabí, Ecuador, triggered a deadly dispute, the government in Trinidad and Tobago imposed a new state of emergency, and artisanal miners in Peru mobilized to demand formalization.
In June, a Supreme Court ruling against former Argentine President Fernández de Kirchner sparked protests, clashes between Evo Morales supporters and security forces in Bolivia turn deadly, and fears of political violence ahead of elections were reignited.
This Special Election Series explores the drivers of violence targeting political figures in Mexico at the subnational levels during the 2024 electoral cycle.
In May 2025, inter- and intra-gang disputes drove an uptick in violence in the Guatemala department, violence targeting politicians intensifies in Veracruz state and Mexico City, Mexico, and gang violence in Haiti declines in frequency but increases in lethality.
In April 2025, violence escalated in Colombia as the Gulf Clan launched attacks against security forces, Noboa won re-election in Ecuador amid rising violence, and police intensified anti-gang actions in Jamaica.
Watch the recorded webinar examining how the fallout of the Sinaloa Cartel dispute has set off a broader realignment of criminal groups in Mexico and opened up opportunities for new conflicts in contested territories.
