Chapter Eight: Latin America

Abstract

The Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador strengthened their institutional capacity to fight corruption in 2016, establishing new agencies and implementing reforms to reduce criminal groups’ influence on politicians, business leaders and security personnel. Although the conflict there caused the deaths of around 16,000 people in the year, this was around 10% fewer than in 2015. Endemic violence and intimidation by powerful gangs combined with economic underdevelopment to drive migration northwards: the number of unaccompanied children from Northern Triangle countries apprehended at the southern US border increased by 65% in fiscal year 2016 (ending on 30 September).