- Venezuela’s capital Caracas has been ranked by the Citizen’s Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice (CCSPJP) as the world’s deadliest city for a second year in a row, with a homicide rate of 130 per 100.000 inhabitants. The city is notorious for its high rates of street and organised crime, becoming a major drug trafficking hub in the region.
- Uruguay has taken a step further towards more lenient drug legislation. From July onwards, cannabis will be allowed for sale in pharmacies for a maximum purchase of 40 grams per month. The law also allows users to grow their own at home. The country will be the very first in the world to legally sell the drug for recreational use.
- Panamanian authorities have seized more than 5 tonnes of drugs in a boat at Juan Hombron, in the Gulf of Panama, in an operation led by the National Aeronaval Service (Senan). This marks a significant seizure in the fight against drug trafficking, Panama being one of Latin America’s major transit points.
