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Americas

Americas

280 cases

Period

In 2019 and 2020, the Americas had the highest share of assassinations, globally. Assassinations during that time were driven by issues around land and the exploitation of natural resources, but also political competition during elections. Activists, community leaders, indigenous people, and politicians were the main targets. While Colombia and Mexico saw the highest number of recorded assassinations, targeted killings are a major concern throughout the continent.

Main statistics

Motive
129 (46%)
Political
Target Group
89 (32%)
Local community
Gender
242 (86%)
Male
Method
239 (85%)
Shot

distribution of cases by CATEGORY

target group

Local community is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 32% of them.

Local community

89 (32%)

Local community

89 cases

  1. South America 65%(58)
  2. Central America 28%(25)
  3. Caribbean 3%(3)
  4. Northern America 3%(3)

Illicit market

54 (19%)

Illicit market

54 cases

  1. South America 83%(45)
  2. Central America 13%(7)
  3. Northern America 4%(2)

Politics & governance

46 (16%)

Politics & governance

46 cases

  1. Central America 57%(26)
  2. South America 43%(20)

Security

39 (14%)

Security

39 cases

  1. Central America 64%(25)
  2. South America 28%(11)
  3. Caribbean 5%(2)
  4. Northern America 3%(1)

Media

24 (9%)

Media

24 cases

  1. Central America 71%(17)
  2. South America 21%(5)
  3. Caribbean 8%(2)

Not reported

9 (3%)

Not reported

9 cases

  1. Central America 67%(6)
  2. Caribbean 11%(1)
  3. Northern America 11%(1)
  4. South America 11%(1)

Criminal justice

8 (3%)

Criminal justice

8 cases

  1. Central America 75%(6)
  2. Northern America 13%(1)
  3. South America 13%(1)

Private sector

7 (3%)

Private sector

7 cases

  1. South America 57%(4)
  2. Central America 29%(2)
  3. Northern America 14%(1)

Others

4 (1%)

Others

4 cases

  1. Caribbean 75%(3)
  2. Central America 25%(1)

motive

Political is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 46% of them.

Political

129 (46%)

Political

129 cases

  1. South America 59%(76)
  2. Central America 35%(45)
  3. Caribbean 5%(7)
  4. Northern America 1%(1)

Organized crime

127 (45%)

Organized crime

127 cases

  1. South America 48%(61)
  2. Central America 46%(58)
  3. Northern America 5%(6)
  4. Caribbean 2%(2)

Not reported

21 (8%)

Not reported

21 cases

  1. Central America 57%(12)
  2. South America 29%(6)
  3. Caribbean 10%(2)
  4. Northern America 5%(1)

Personal

2 (1%)

Personal

2 cases

  1. Northern America 50%(1)
  2. South America 50%(1)

Economic

1 (0%)

Economic

1 cases

  1. South America 100%(1)

method

Shot is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 85% of them.

Shot

239 (85%)

Shot

239 cases

  1. South America 52%(125)
  2. Central America 41%(97)
  3. Caribbean 4%(10)
  4. Northern America 3%(7)

Not reported

27 (10%)

Not reported

27 cases

  1. Central America 48%(13)
  2. South America 48%(13)
  3. Northern America 4%(1)

Beaten

6 (2%)

Beaten

6 cases

  1. South America 67%(4)
  2. Central America 33%(2)

Stabbed

3 (1%)

Stabbed

3 cases

  1. South America 67%(2)
  2. Central America 33%(1)

Beheaded

2 (1%)

Beheaded

2 cases

  1. Northern America 50%(1)
  2. Central America 50%(1)

Burnt

2 (1%)

Burnt

2 cases

  1. Caribbean 50%(1)
  2. South America 50%(1)

Suffocated

1 (0%)

Suffocated

1 cases

  1. Central America 100%(1)

perpetrator

Not reported is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 69% of them.

Not reported

193 (69%)

Not reported

193 cases

  1. Central America 47%(91)
  2. South America 46%(89)
  3. Caribbean 4%(7)
  4. Northern America 3%(6)

Organized crime

42 (15%)

Organized crime

42 cases

  1. South America 50%(21)
  2. Central America 45%(19)
  3. Caribbean 2%(1)
  4. Northern America 2%(1)

State representative

15 (5%)

State representative

15 cases

  1. South America 73%(11)
  2. Caribbean 13%(2)
  3. Central America 13%(2)

Hitmen

14 (5%)

Hitmen

14 cases

  1. South America 64%(9)
  2. Central America 21%(3)
  3. Caribbean 7%(1)
  4. Northern America 7%(1)

Armed group

13 (5%)

Armed group

13 cases

  1. South America 100%(13)

Others

3 (1%)

Others

3 cases

  1. South America 67%(2)
  2. Northern America 33%(1)

gender

Male is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 86% of them.

Male

242 (86%)

Male

242 cases

  1. South America 54%(130)
  2. Central America 40%(97)
  3. Caribbean 3%(8)
  4. Northern America 3%(7)

Female

28 (10%)

Female

28 cases

  1. South America 46%(13)
  2. Central America 39%(11)
  3. Caribbean 7%(2)
  4. Northern America 7%(2)

Not reported

8 (3%)

Not reported

8 cases

  1. Central America 75%(6)
  2. South America 25%(2)

Female & Male

1 (0%)

Female & Male

1 cases

  1. Central America 100%(1)

transgender

1 (0%)

transgender

1 cases

  1. Caribbean 100%(1)

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Americas

280 cases

Period: