The Global Advisor: Spotlight on Latin America | January 2025
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Uruguay
Venezuela
Bolivian gang kidnap a woman in Montevideo Members of a Bolivian micro-trafficking gang on 26 November kidnapped a 22-year-old woman in the Municipio neighbourhood, in Montevideo (Montevideo department). The victim – who had a romantic relationship with a gang leader – received a bag with a large amount of money days before the incident. The perpetrators entered her home and requested she hand over the cash. The criminals then tortured her but released her shortly after in undisclosed circumstances. No ransom payment was reported.
Family owners of small business targeted in express kidnap
Five criminals on 27 December kidnap an unknown number of victims from one family as they closed their business in El Cementerio, Caracas (Capital District). The criminals forced the victims into their vehicle and then stole a large amount of cash along with other valuables from them. The criminals later abandoned their vehicle and the victims. One perpetrator was arrested.
Control Risks comment
Control Risks comment
Low-level criminal groups will remain the primary perpetrators of express kidnaps, targeting victims opportunistically based on their apparent wealth and vulnerability. Small business owners in particular will continue to be targeted given their ready access to cash and limited security measures.
Uruguay recorded the lowest prevalence of kidnap-for-ransom cases in South America over the last five years. This trend is likely to persist over the next year’s outlook, with outlier cases usually related to disputes between local gangs and opportunistic abductions carried out by low-capability criminals targeting individuals based on their public display of wealth.
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