Hyper-violence had become the norm. During 2017 there were 100 beheadings in the city. “For the smallest offence a guy can be killed”, said Roseno. “The codes are so subtle. We came across this guy who wanted to join the Red Command. But something went wrong with his initiation, and so they tortured and killed him. We found his body on a football

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Brazil is dealing with endemic corruption (although its courts thus far appear, for the most part, to be stepping up to the challenge) and a large public sector and benefits for citizens that the economy cannot sustain. Argentina has struggled to find leaders who could simultaneously be democratic, effective, and popular. Mexico faces an epidemic

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national crime statistics show a sharp rise in the murder rate. Having edged downwards between 2003 and 2010, homicide rates then climbed to reach 30.5 per 100,000 in 2017. In part this rise was a result of the recession and failed policing. In Rio de Janeiro, for example, the military police – which is responsible for day-to-day operations – found

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