The Global Advisor Kidnap & extortive crime | April 2025
Americas
Kidnap-for-ransom incident numbers in Mexico continued to increase over Q1 2025, with the total number of cases rising by 80% compared with the total recorded in the first quarter of 2024. Much of the rise was driven by increased gang activity in the states of Sinaloa, Jalisco, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and Veracruz, where reported cases increased by an average of 65% over the same period. Virtual kidnaps followed a similar pattern largely due to the growing number of criminals – including local gangs and organised criminal groups – engaged in this type of crime across the country. Overall, virtual kidnaps increased by 60% compared with Q4 2024, and 350% compared with Q1 2024. Control Risks identified an 86% reduction in the number of kidnaps recorded in Ecuador during the quarter, compared with the last quarter of 2024. This pattern is more likely related to media fatigue regarding reports of kidnap-for-ransom rather than an improvement in the country’s overall security environment. Most criminal groups regularly engage in opportunistic and planned kidnaps across major hotspots such as the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Pichincha and El Oro. Additionally, turf wars between criminal groups in provinces in the coastal region have become more common, driving the number of violent murders over the first two months of 2025 to one of the highest levels ever recorded. The number of recorded cases in Colombia between January and March 2025 increased by 9% compared with Q4 2024. In rural areas, left-wing guerrillas such as the ELN and FARC dissident groups continued to use kidnap-for- ransom as an effective tool for raising revenue as well as enforcing their authority in areas under their control. A latent threat will persist for large
companies involved in operations with lots of outdoor sites in rural areas. Meanwhile, the increasing number of turf wars between gangs across major cities in departments like Cundinamarca, Atlantico, Valle del Cauca and Magdalena drove a marked uptick in extortion rackets affecting small and medium-sized businesses. Control Risks recorded a 175% increase in the number of detentions in Venezuela between January and March 2025, compared with the last quarter of 2024. The prevalence of detentions increased following political upheaval after the contested results of the presidential elections in early August. Authorities retained the intent to adopt a hard stance against perceived political threats or opponents and will continue to do so over the coming year. Victims mainly included local nationals associated with the political opposition, journalists and activists, though
foreign nationals, mainly from Latin American countries, accounted for roughly 30% of victims. Such incidents took place at points of entry into the country, including all international airports and border crossings. 67 % of abductions happened in transit/outdoors 93 % of abductions resolved in less than 8 days 18 sectors affected
Key developments January to March 2025
The number of recorded kidnaps in Mexico’s hotspots for the crime saw a sharp increase over Q1 compared with the same period in 2024. Criminal groups remained operational across all major urban centres in Ecuador despite a decrease in the number of recorded incidents for the second quarter in a row. The kidnap and extortion threat environment in Colombia continues to pose serious challenges as the authorities struggle to curb the growth of left-wing guerrillas and urban gangs throughout the country. Politically motivated detentions in Venezuela remained a prevalent threat six months on from the disputed presidential election in August 2024.
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