Transnational Organised Crime

Transnational organised crime (TOC) ranks among the most pressing social, political and economic threats to society, the state and development in Latin America. The region has the highest rates of violence in the world. In light of recent developments, we will examine the situation in Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru from the perspective of our partners. 

Ever-changing forms of criminal governance undermine democratic institutions, decision-making processes and their legitimacy. The breeding ground for this is structural inequality, a lack of economic prospects and limited opportunities for social advancement. Trump’s assault on Venezuela under the pretext of the war on drugs is a prime example of a policy of false solutions that places an additional burden on the civilian population. There is a danger that the fight against organised crime will increasingly be exploited for political ends to legitimise military interventions in the Western Hemisphere that violate international law. How can organised crime be effectively curbed? What role can local civil society play? And how can transnational cooperation be structured in such a way as to strengthen human security as a goal?  At the same time, the question arises as to what we in Germany can learn from initiatives and strategies in Latin America. 

For transnational organised crime has long posed an acute risk to human security here too: Germany is currently experiencing a flood of cocaine and is regarded as a money-laundering haven. Alongside the drug trade, human trafficking, forced prostitution, environmental and arms-related crime, as well as cybercrime, are among the key sources of income. The profits and flows of goods generated from these activities are channelled into Europe via highly efficient supply chains. At the same time, criminal networks are gaining increasing influence over legal economic structures. Despite the gravity of the situation, the issue still receives too little nuanced media and political attention in Germany. Public debate is often reduced to the activities of individual groups or buzzwords such as ‘clan crime’. Repressive measures and increased investigative pressure on both continents have so far proved ineffective in sustainably tracking financial and goods flows through international cooperation and skimming off illegal profits. Meanwhile, the TOC operates with a high degree of adaptability, utilises innovative forms of international cooperation and is capable of endangering democratic structures in Europe through corruption and violence. 

The conference therefore brings together civil society and government representatives from Latin America and Europe to discuss strategies and assess their effectiveness. The focus is on trade, environmental crime, financial flows and the existing instruments of international cooperation. The experiences of organised civil society in Latin America in its democratic and human rights-based resistance against transnational organised crime provide important insights in this regard.

On 20 and 21 April, Latin American guests and political actors from Germany and Europe will gather at the Heinrich Böll Foundation to discuss strategies for preventing and combating TOC.

With simultaneous interpretation in German, Spanish and English.

Further information can be found in the programme.

Contact at the Heinrich Böll Foundation
Victor Souza
Latin America Department
Heinrich Böll Foundation
E souza@boell.de

» Attend in person
at the Heinrich Böll Foundation Conference Centre, Schumannstr. 8, 10117 Berlin

Please register. Unfortunately, places are limited. If the venue reaches full capacity, we will broadcast the conference via video to other rooms. Please note that there is no guarantee of a seat in the main hall.

» Towards accessibility
At the Heinrich Böll Foundation, we strive to continuously remove barriers, whether on our premises, in our publications, or during online events. All relevant information can be found at the following link: https://www.boell.de/de/auf-dem-weg-zur-barrierefreiheit