Environmental activists and indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon await the verdict in the Saweto murder case, which has become a test of impunity surrounding environmental crimes in Peru. The trial for the 2014 murders of indigenous Asháninka leaders Edwin Chota, Leoncio Quintisima, Jorge Ríos, and Francisco Pinedo is in its final stages, with a verdict expected on April 11. The accused, alleged illegal loggers Eurico Mapes Gómez and the Atachi Félix brothers, and timber businessmen José Estrada Huayta and Hugo Soria Flores, had been previously convicted with 28-year sentences, but the conviction was controversially overturned on a technicality. The case highlights the increasing violence against those defending the Amazon and the struggle for justice amid systemic challenges.

The cost-of-living crisis in the UK is leading to increased consumption of processed foods due to their lower cost. A BBC Good Food survey indicated that 20% of Brits are eating more processed foods, and a report from The Lancet linked poor health outcomes to corporate influence on diets. Non-profit Bite Back reported a significant increase in fast food advertising, while the government delayed a ban on junk food ads. Supermarkets like Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl are taking steps to promote healthier options through price promotions and educational initiatives. Danone's James Mayer suggested taxing unhealthy foods to drive the industry towards healthier products. However, the current government is unlikely to impose such taxes, leaving consumers with limited healthy food choices within their budget.

The article discusses the importance of music and sound in fostering optimism during challenging times, such as the mental health crisis exacerbated by Covid-19 and economic pressures. Brands have the opportunity to influence well-being through their campaigns, as seen with Uncommon's Yellow Sticker Cookbook, Adidas's motivational campaign for runners, and Heineken's 'Refresh Your Nights' concerts in Asia. Strategic music choices in advertising can significantly increase happiness, highlighting the role of sound in improving daily life amidst the noise of the modern world.

The US House of Representatives passed the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act, which allows the Department of Homeland Security to target suspected gang members for deportation. The bill, supported by President Trump and ICE, faces criticism for potential racial profiling and reliance on flawed gang databases. It could lead to the deportation of immigrants not affiliated with gangs, lacking proper due process. The focus on MS13 also raises concerns about racial profiling. The bill now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to encounter more opposition.

Colombian engineers are suspected of establishing a coca plantation in Honduras, potentially importing the drug production business and associated problems to Central America. The plantation, discovered by Honduran authorities, includes coca plants, a nursery, and a processing lab. No arrests have been made, but investigations are ongoing. The move by Colombian criminals to Honduras is seen as a strategic long-term investment, taking advantage of the country's lack of eradication teams, monitoring capabilities, and legal restrictions on precursor chemicals. Honduras' proximity to the U.S. market and corruptible institutions present an attractive opportunity for drug production. However, the scale of production and impact may be limited compared to Colombia's history with coca cultivation, which led to extreme violence and institutional corruption. The situation serves as a warning for Honduras, which already faces poverty, insecurity, and corruption.

Colombia faces legal challenges in separating drug traffickers from demobilizing FARC guerrillas. Convicted trafficker Gildardo Rodríguez Herrera was removed from the FARC list, while guerrilla Julio Enrique Lemos, wanted in the U.S., was released. The cases underscore the complexity of disentangling the drug trade from the conflict and the potential for undermining the peace process. Former President Álvaro Uribe, an opponent of the peace process, may use such cases to attack the transitional justice process. President Juan Manuel Santos is pushing through decrees to advance the peace process, including one to suspend arrest warrants for guerrillas until processed by the transitional justice system.

Donald Trump's new executive order targeting organized crime and drug cartels is criticized for lacking substance behind its tough rhetoric. The order outlines general plans to review and improve law enforcement practices without offering new strategies. Trump's impact on international cooperation, particularly with Mexico, is seen as detrimental, potentially straining relations and undermining security operations in Latin America. The article suggests that Trump's approach could harm the bilateral relations essential to combating transnational organized crime.

Cocaine use and availability in the United States have increased for the first time in nearly a decade, driven by a surge in production in Colombia, as reported by the DEA. Seizures and overdose deaths have risen, with Colombian cocaine dominating the US market. Mexican cartels control most trafficking into the US, with routes through Central America. The DEA also notes the emergence of cocaine mixed with fentanyl. The increase in cocaine trafficking is expected to continue, with the DEA warning of potential increases in seizures, new users, and related deaths. The situation in Colombia, especially post-FARC demobilization and peace accords, is critical to the future of cocaine production and trafficking.

Ecuador has become a significant transit hub for illegal gold from Peru, exported to the United States. The operations of two gold exporters, Clearprocess and Spartan, were exposed by El Comercio, revealing the use of emissaries to deal with Peruvian smugglers and falsified documents to conceal the gold's origins. The companies became Ecuador's main gold exporters, with US-based companies like Republic Metals Corporation, Kaloti Metals and Logistics, and Mvp Imports as their primary customers. Following a crackdown on gold trafficking in Peru, illegal gold is now being smuggled into Ecuador, creating a discrepancy between the country's mined and exported gold. RMC has responded to the article, stating they have ceased business with aggregators to prevent money laundering and now only deal with single source mining entities.

The International Narcotics Control Board's 2015 report highlights a correlation between drug trafficking, drug use, and criminal violence in Latin America. Drug trafficking poses a major security threat, contributing to increased local drug use and violence as criminal groups vie for control of local markets. The report notes a rise in drug abuse in South America and links it to conflicts between crime groups. The INCB also observes that traffickers often pay for services with drugs, which are then sold in local markets, contributing to the rise of local drug markets and associated violence. UN statistics show increases in marijuana, cocaine, and opiate use in the Americas since 2012. InSight Crime's analysis confirms the trend of growing drug abuse along trafficking routes leading to rising violence, with traffickers paying for local services with drugs and the fragmentation of criminal organizations leading to more localized factions focusing on local drug sales.

A study by the Center for Impunity and Justice Studies at Universidad de Las Américas reveals that less than one percent of crimes in Mexico result in convictions. Factoring in the low crime reporting rate, over 99 percent of crimes go unpunished. Mexico ranks as the second worst for impunity globally, after the Philippines, and the worst in the Americas. The study attributes high impunity to political interference, weak and corrupt institutions, and organized crime. Recommendations include professionalizing institutions, improving transparency, and fostering inter-institution cooperation.

Scientists affiliated with the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer have reported that glyphosate, a chemical used in aerial eradication of coca crops in Colombia, is likely carcinogenic. This finding, which indicates DNA and chromosomal damage in cells and a correlation with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, challenges the Colombian government's controversial eradication policy. Monsanto, the agrochemical manufacturer, disputes the findings. Aerial fumigation has been criticized for harming legal crops, health, and the environment. Colombia, which sprayed 47,053 hectares in 2013, has faced calls for policy reevaluation and legal actions, including a settlement with Ecuador over border spraying damages.

In 2014, InSight Crime reported on a major seizure of illegal gold in Peru, which led to the exposure of a suspected criminal network and legal threats against InSight Crime from Kaloti Metals & Logistics (KML), a company implicated in the case. The seizure by Peru's tax and customs agency, SUNAT, and subsequent investigations revealed the involvement of several Peruvian export companies and their connections to illegal mining operations. The case highlighted the complex supply chain of illegal gold, the challenges in policing it, and the alleged involvement of foreign companies like KML in the illegal trade. Despite KML's claims of compliance with legal requirements, the case raised questions about the effectiveness of due diligence processes in the gold trade.

Colombian prosecutors are investigating over 200 public officials for connections to BACRIM, a criminal organization and successor to the paramilitary AUC. The investigations target various officials, including security forces, town councilmen, mayors, and justice system officials. The BACRIM, like the AUC, rely on corrupt state contacts, particularly within security forces, to facilitate drug trafficking and gather intelligence. While BACRIM's political influence is less than the AUC's, they still exert control over local politics to avoid scrutiny. High-level political ties from the AUC era, such as those involving La Guajira Governor Francisco “Kiko” Gomez, continue in some regions.