ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes US-Latin American relations through the lens of the dynamics of criminal violence impacting the region today. It examines the aims, strategies, and impacts of the main initiatives developed by the United States and Latin American countries in order to counteract criminal violence. The chapter focuses on Mexico and the countries of the northern triangle of Central America. It illustrates the vicious cycle of criminal violence affecting the US-Mexico and Central America sub-region and discusses how an emphasis on reactive and militarized strategies has contributed to the intensification and diversification of criminal violence in the region. The chapter reflects on the impact that deportation and migration dynamics have had on the diffusion of criminal networks across the region. It concludes with specific policy recommendations to break the vicious cycle of criminal violence in the US-Mexico and Central America sub-region. The chapter highlights the negative impact that all-out war-on-crime strategies have on the expansion and intensification of criminal violence.
