The rise of organized crime threatens Chile's long-standing status as a security haven in Latin America

Chile, long considered one of Latin America's safer havens, is battling an unprecedented rise in organized crimewhich is largely due to the infiltration of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The emergence of this transnational criminal organization has not only increased violence but has also brought with it a level of criminal sophistication that the country has not previously seen.

In an interview with Insight Crime, Pablo Zeballos, an organized crime consultant and former intelligence officer of the Chilean Carabineros police, analyzed how a series of unfortunate events, such as the Delegitimization of state institutions, cases of police violence during the 2019 protests and an unprepared prison system helped the Tren de Aragua gang members and diversify its criminal activities in the country.

“The police lost reputation due to human rights violationswhich meant that they left the places where they were supposed to be safe because they were rejected by the communities,” said Zeballos. “This was very cleverly exploited by organized crime structures, especially drug trafficking and other illegal markets, which occupied these spaces ceded by the state.”

In recent years, Chile has experienced a dramatic increase in kidnappings, a crime that was almost unknown in the country's past. According to a report by the Chilean Attorney General's Office The number of kidnappings has increased by 135% in the last decadewith the largest increase occurring between 2021 and 2022. This coincided with the establishment of Tren de Aragua, Venezuela's most brutal prison gang, in Chile. The gang's influence is said to be responsible for the increase in kidnappings. which has increased from 500 cases in 2021 to over 820 in 2022.

The presence of the Tren de Aragua has also been linked to an increase in violent crime. In a press conference on a recent series of murders, President Gabriel Boric acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and announced: Plans for a new maximum security prison specifically for organised crime actors.

According to Zeballos, the infiltration of the prison system by drug traffickers and other elements of organized crime has dramatically changed the balance of power. “The huge profits from drug trafficking have allowed these actors to rise in the prison world,” Zeballos told Insight Crime that this influence has spilled over into the streets.

Zeballos stressed that traditional Chilean criminal groups are now forced to adapt to the new dynamics introduced by Tren de Aragua, including the diversification of criminal activities within the controlled areas. Unlike previous criminal enterprises in Chile, which were mainly focused on drug trafficking, Tren de Aragua has expanded its activities to include extortion, sexual exploitation and informal loans, creating an even more complex and dangerous criminal landscape.

To add to the chaos, Chilean courts have been the target of a series of bomb threats. A step that experts describe as clear attempt by the Tren de Aragua to further destabilise the country’s security“The fact that four courts are being targeted at the same time is unprecedented,” Zeballos said, warning that the situation could escalate quickly if these intimidation tactics are not curbed.

Faced with this new wave of criminal violence, the challenge for the government in Chile is not only to strengthen its security forces, but also to restore public confidence in institutions that are riddled with corruption and inefficiency.