latin america
'We Were Thrown Out, Half Dead': The Horror of Peru's Forced Sterilizations
In the 90s, hundreds of thousands of Peruvian women were forcibly sterilized as part of a government operation. Over a decade on, the Quipu Project is helping to gather the horrifying testimonies of the victims.
How Unethical Is Buying Cocaine?
Your baggie of white powder was brought to you by beheadings, torture, and deforestation in the Amazon. How bad should you feel about that?
What It's Like to Be a Female Drug Mule Serving Time in Prison
Sylvia R. was a single mom from Slovakia who was caught smuggling cocaine out of Argentina. She's now one of the thousands of women who are languishing in Latin American jails for drug trafficking.
Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff to Face Trial After Senate Votes to Impeach Her
In an expected but historic moment for Latin America, Brazil's president has been removed from office and will face an impeachment trial, in what her supporters describe as a coup.
Mexico City Chefs Don't Want to Be Fancy French Cooks Anymore
As Mexicans, we used to think our food was too humble for high-end restaurants and there was a trend for working with French chefs. Now, people are focusing on local produce and taking influence from classic Mexican cooking.
Puerto Rico Is Defaulting on $400 Million in Debt — And Congress Is on Vacation
Congress was supposed to finalize a bill last month to help the US territory solve its debt crisis, but legislators left for vacation without taking action.
The Rise of Mexican Black Tar
VICE News travels to the remote mountains of Guerrero, Mexico, to follow the lucrative and destructive path of black tar heroin as it makes its way to the US.
Hacking Team's 'Illegal' Latin American Empire
The use of Hacking Team’s spyware is illegal in most Latin American countries, according to a new report.
The CDC Is Now Certain That Zika Virus Causes Microcephaly and Other Severe Birth Defects
The US health agency confirmed that the mosquito-borne virus causes babies to have abnormally small heads, and said it could just be “the tip of the iceberg.”
Puerto Rico's Desperation Grows Over Debt Crisis As US Congress Plans Intervention
Congressional legislators are expected to release new draft legislation dealing with Puerto Rico's fiscal crisis before the end of the week, as Washington scrambles to head off drastic steps by the island's government.
Medical Marijuana, Decriminalization, and Opium: 2016 Looks Big for Drugs in Mexico
Spurred into action by a supreme court ruling, Mexico could soon start legalizing medical marijuana, and raise the threshold for decriminalized consumer possession. It might even start considering licit domestic cultivation of cannabis and opium.
What McDonald's and Walmart Can Teach Drug Cartels
Writer Tom Wainwright's latest book Narconomics: How to Run a Drug Cartel looks at the drug trade as if it were a legal business, finding common ground between the underworld and legitimate corporations.