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Despite what newspaper front pages and television news bulletins might suggest, the world is getting more peaceful according to the latest Global Peace Index, published today by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

Over the past year 93 countries have seen an improvement in terms of their peacefulness, according to the IEP, while 68 have got worse. The improvements have been mainly driven by lower levels of state-sponsored terror, including extra-judicial killings and torture, and the draw-down of foreign military forces in Afghanistan.

"This was the first improvement since the start of the Syrian war," said Steve Killelea, founder and executive chairman of the IEP. "The improvement was fuelled by a number of different things, but one of the biggest was the fall in the external conflict indicator and that's mainly because of the reductions of forces which had fought in the Afghanistan war."

However, some corners of the world continue to suffer disproportionately, particularly the Middle East. Syria has been ranked the least peaceful country in the world for the fifth consecutive year, followed by Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan and Yemen. Those rankings help to make the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) the least peaceful region in the world.

It is not just a question of the various ongoing wars though. As well as full-blooded conflicts, the index takes into account everything from the level of government weapons purchases to homicide rates, incarceration rates, perceptions of criminality, political repression and suppression of free speech. Almost all of these factors contribute to the low scores of countries in the Middle East.

The cost of all the ongoing violence around the world remains huge. The IEP estimates the global bill totalled $14.3 trillion last year, equivalent to 12.6% of world GDP. In the 10 least peaceful countries the cost amounted to an average of 37% of their GDP. By comparison, last year the total cost was $13.6 trillion, or 13.3% of global GDP.

Populist politics have contributed to the decline in peacefulness in the US and a number of European countries - something that was most notably seen in the election of Donald Trump as US president and the Brexit vote in the UK. The US fell 11 places to 114th overall, placing it below the likes of Rwanda, Algeria and Belarus. But Trump alone is not to blame.

"The issues in the US go beyond President Trump," said Killelea. "So it's not really a comment on President Trump, it's a comment on the [political] system overall. The system has become more fractionalised over the last four or five years. The election of Trump was a manifestation of that."

The poor showing of the US contributed to North America recording the largest drop of any region in the index over the past year, although it is still the second most peaceful region overall behind Europe.

"Increasing inequality, rising perceptions of corruption and falling press freedoms have all contributed to this substantial deterioration in the US and an overall decline in peace in the North America region," added Killelea.

Other big fallers included France, where a number of terrorist atrocities have been carried out in recent years. It fell five places to 51st overall. Belgium, which has also been the victim of a number of attacks fell one place to 19th. The UK climbed by six places to 41st, although the most recent attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on 22 May is too recent to be reflected in the report.

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Most Of The World Is Becoming More Peaceful, But The U.S. And The Middle East Are Bucking That Trend

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Despite what newspaper front pages and television news bulletins might suggest, the world is getting more peaceful according to the latest Global Peace Index, published today by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). Over the past year 93 countries have seen an improvement in terms of their peacefulness, according to the IEP, while 68 have got worse.

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While Trump has recently dialed-back the personal insults against the leader he once called "Little Rocket Man," his State Department did not pull any punches in a new statement condemning decades of "egregious human rights violations" suffered by the North Korean people at the hands of their own government.

"For more than 60 years the people of North Korea have faced egregious human rights violations in virtually every aspect of life," the statement from State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

"In addition to the roughly 100,000 individuals, including children and family members of the accused, who suffer in political prison camps, North Koreans face an almost complete denial of fundamental freedoms by their government. Those trying to flee this oppressive environment, if caught, are often tortured or killed," she said.

The administration has recently tried to strike a tone of cautious optimism as Trump and Kim gear up for a highly anticipated and potentially historic summit in the coming weeks.

Last week, Trump characterized Kim's intentions leading up to the meeting as "very open and I think very honorable based on what we are seeing" and he has talked up his diplomatic efforts with North Korea on several occasions in recent months, suggesting that he may be poised to accomplish what other administrations have not.

"We've never been in a position like this with that regime, whether it's father, grandfather or son," Trump said last month.

The North Korean government's long history of abusive practices has been the elephant in the room as Trump focuses on convincing Pyongyang to take concrete steps toward dismantling its nuclear and missile programs.

But on Wednesday, the State Department opted to recognize North Korean Freedom Week by directly calling out the North Korean regime's brutal treatment of its people.

"We remain gravely concerned and deeply troubled by these abuses. In tandem with the maximum pressure campaign, we will continue to press for accountability for those responsible," the statement said.

The State Department stopped short of detailing exactly how the US plans to "press for accountability" or indicating whether Trump plans to address these concerns with Kim directly when the two meet but did pledge to help open up the isolated country to the rest of the world.

"We are also going to continue our efforts to increase the flow of independent information into, out of, and within this isolated state to present everyday North Koreans with a more realistic picture of the outside world," Nauert said.

Last year, Thae Yong-ho, a former high-ranking North Korean official who defected to South Korea, told US lawmakers that Kim Jong Un, his father Kim Jong Il and grandfather Kim Il Sung have carefully cultivated the perception that they are divine rulers and consolidated power by sheltering the North Korean population from the outside world and manipulating the country's welfare system.

"Until now, the North Korean system has prevailed through an effective and credible reign of terror and by almost perfectly preventing the free-flow of outside information," he said.

CNN's Laura Koran contributed reporting

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us slams 'abusive' north korean regime after trump calls kim 'honorable'  - cnnpolitics

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US slams 'abusive' North Korean regime after Trump calls Kim 'honorable'

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The US State Department issued a scathing rebuke of North Korea's human rights record on Wednesday, calling the regime "one of the most repressive and abusive governments in the world" just days after President Donald Trump praised dictator Kim Jong Un's "honorable" intentions ahead of a possible face-to-face sit down between the two leaders.

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political science; surveillance; legal issues; funding policy; conflict; government regulation

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Political corruption is the use of power by government officials for illegitimate private gain.

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chinese lasers injure us military pilots in africa

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Chinese lasers injure US military pilots in Africa, Pentagon says

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Chinese personnel at the country's first overseas military base in Djibouti have been using lasers to interfere with US military aircraft at a nearby American base, activity that has resulted in injuries to US pilots and prompted the US to launch a formal diplomatic protest with Beijing, two military officials told CNN.

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La arquitectura y la construcción de la paz no iban a ser fáciles. Y no lo serán. Los factores jurídicos, políticos, económicos y sociales que juegan ...

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La geografía del tráfico de drogas sigue cambiando en México.

En los últimos años, prácticamente desaparecieron algunos de los carteles considerados en su momento como de mayor riesgo para el país.

Otros, de reciente creación, aumentaron su presencia incluso en zonas históricamente controladas por organizaciones más antiguas.

10 años de la guerra contra el narcotráfico en México: Juan Villoro habla sobre la esquizofrenia del país y por qué "toda bala es una bala perdida"

Al menos uno se fragmentó, otro fue diezmado por la persecución militar y dos más perdieron la guerra contra sus rivales.

Así, el escenario ahora es distinto al de 2006, cuando el expresidente Felipe Calderón declaró la guerra al narcotráfico.

Pero lo que no cambia es la violencia, que en lo que va de 2017 recuperó los niveles de los años más complicados de la lucha contra los carteles.

En mayo pasado, por ejemplo, se registraron 2.186 homicidios violentos de acuerdo con el Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública (SNSP).

Es el mes de mayor violencia desde 1997, cuando empezó el registro de crímenes en el país.

En los 11 años que dura la guerra contra el narcotráfico han muerto más de 188.000 personas, según datos oficiales.

El nuevo protagonista: Jalisco Nueva Generación

El caso más notable es el del Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), que según las autoridades registra el mayor crecimiento de todas las organizaciones de narcotráfico.

El grupo era parte del Cartel de Sinaloa, el más antiguo de México, y estaba bajo las órdenes de uno de sus fundadores, Ignacio Coronel "El Nacho".

Cuando en 2010 el capo es abatido por la Marina, la banda se independizó y en pocos años extendió su presencia en México.

Jalisco Nueva Generación, el nuevo y peligroso cartel de México

Actualmente el CJNG opera en Nayarit, Colima y Michoacán, en el occidente del país, así como en la región de Mexicali, Baja California, en el noroeste.

También mantiene presencia en el Estado de México, Querétaro y una parte de San Luis Potosí, en la región central, así como en Veracruz, en el sureste, y las regiones costeras de Guerrero y Oaxaca, al sur.
Pero su bastión central es Jalisco, territorio que arrebató a su antiguo socio, la organización de Sinaloa, considerada por autoridades mexicanas y estadunidenses como la más poderosa del continente.
Para el grupo el estado en el oeste del país es emblemático: allí viven las familias de sus principales líderes, y durante décadas ha sido una de sus principales zonas de operación financiera.

¿Cómo perdió su histórico bastión? Por dos razones centrales, dicen especialistas como Alberto Islas, de la consultora Risk Evaluation:

El CJNG tiene una eficiente estructura financiera y militar... Y su rival se debilitó tras la captura y extradición de Joaquín Guzmán Loera, "El Chapo", a quien dentro de su organización le llamaban también "El General".

Por qué los carteles del narcotráfico en México se parecen a las grandes multinacionales financieras
El peso de la extradición: el Cartel de Sinaloa y de Tijuana
El Cartel de Sinaloa, también conocido como La Federación, perdió algunas zonas importantes pero también extendió su territorio.

Y lo consiguió tras derrotar a organizaciones rivales con una intensa guerra que causó la muerte a miles de personas.

Qué le espera ahora al narcotraficante Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán tras ser extraditado a EE.UU.
La organización ahora sólo tiene presencia en algunas regiones montañosas del estado, y en la fronteriza Ciudad Juárez, donde nació.
Así ocurrió con Chihuahua, en el norte del país, que era controlado por el Cartel de Juárez.

Es el mismo caso del Cartel de Tijuana, de los hermanos Arellano Félix, quienes perdieron el control de la península de Baja California. Ahora el grupo sólo controla la ciudad fronteriza de Tijuana.

La Federación también se extendió a Yucatán, en el sureste, donde anteriormente operaban Los Zetas.

Otro perdedor de la guerra es el cartel de los hermanos Beltrán Leyva, que perdieron el bastión de Sonora, en el noroeste del país.

Ahora su presencia se reduce a la capital del estado, Hermosillo, la región costera cercana a la población y una parte de las montañas de Sinaloa.

Condenan en Estados Unidos a cadena perpetua al narcotraficante mexicano Alfredo Beltrán Leyva

En esa región, una de las más productivas de heroína y marihuana del país, los Beltrán Leyva mantienen una intensa batalla contra la familia de Guzmán Loera.

Los perdedores

Pero el mapa del narcotráfico también cambió por el combate de las autoridades.
El grupo perdió casi todo su territorio, que comprendía los estados costeros del Golfo de México y la península de Yucatán.
Con operaciones militares capturó o abatió a los fundadores del cartel de Los Zetas, uno de los más violentos de México y Centroamérica.

Ahora opera en una parte de Coahuila y Tamaulipas, en el noreste, pero en éste se enfrenta con su antiguo aliado, el Cartel del Golfo.

Los Zetas mantienen operaciones en Campeche y Tabasco, en el sureste, y controlan además Cancún, Quintana Roo, el principal destino turístico del país.

El caso donde más se nota la operación gubernamental es el de La Familia Michoacana y su sucesor, Los Caballeros Templarios.

La organización mantenía el control del tráfico de drogas, la extracción de minerales y la venta de cítricos y aguacate en Michoacán.

Las Moicas, la desconocida organización criminal que disputa el negocio de "El Chapo" Guzmán en California
Sus fundadores como Nazario Moreno González, "El Más Loco" o Servando Gómez, "La Tuta", fueron abatidos o capturados.
Ahora prácticamente desapareció, tras el combate de grupos de autodefensas promovidos por el gobierno federal y operaciones de inteligencia militar.

El territorio que controlaban es ocupado ahora por el Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación.

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Los mapas que muestran los radicales cambios de influencia territorial de los carteles del narcotráfico en México

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La geografía del tráfico de drogas sigue cambiando en México. En los últimos años, prácticamente desaparecieron algunos de los carteles considerados en su momento como de mayor riesgo para el país. Otros, de reciente creación, aumentaron su presencia incluso en zonas históricamente controladas por organizaciones más antiguas.

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After a week of political protest in Nicaragua, at least 38 people - and possibly over 60 - are dead. President Daniel Ortega, whose government once seemed unshakable, has emerged weakened in the face of protesters demanding his ouster.

Ortega, a former leftist revolutionary, has moved to the right since his 2006 election. He has also centralized his power, controlling the media, restricting opposition and giving government jobs to family and friends. His wife, Rosario Murillo, was Ortega's running mate in 2016 and is now Nicaragua's vice president.

In 2014, Ortega abolished term limits for the presidency, with the blessing of a National Assembly stacked with loyalists.

As scholars of social conflict and regime change in Latin America, we know that authoritarian governments' survival depends on controlling institutions and maintaining alliances with powerful forces like the military, the Church and the elite class. Nicaragua's protest movement has imperiled Ortega's carefully constructed coalition - perhaps fatally.

Ortega then and now

Ortega first came to power in 1979 after Nicaragua's Sandinista revolution overthrew dictator Anastasio Somoza.

Back then, Ortega's rise hinged on creating a broad coalition. With the support of traditional opposition parties, many business elites, students and peasants, his Sandinista National Liberation Front moved from marginal guerrilla group to ruling party.

The Sandinista government stayed in power for 10 years, creating a socialist economy, undertaking land reform and wealth redistribution.

Ortega returned to power by winning elections in 2006 - this time with a new, right-leaning platform that espoused traditional Christian values and pro-business economic policies.

Reuters/Oswaldo Rivas

Ortega had rocky relations with the Catholic Church during the revolution. But since 2006 he has embraced both Catholic bishops and evangelical groups. Beyond religious rhetoric, he has maintained Nicaragua's abortion ban and sought to control LGBTQ activism.

The business elite likewise struck a new bargain with Ortega when he was elected in 2006. In the 1980s, Ortega worked to seize private enterprises and redistribute farmland. Now, he works with business leaders to set Nicaragua's economic policy and labor conditions. In turn, they have supported his regime.

Fractured coalition

Ortega's unilateral announcement of the social security reforms on April 16 - a decision he made without consulting Nicaragua's business community - ruptured the business side of this pact.

By April 20, the major business associations were calling on workers to protest the reforms.

Reuters

Ortega's coalition has crumbled. In contrast to the spontaneous protests, this government is so unpopular that it has to bus supporters into Managua to stage pro-regime counterdemonstrations.

The military

Suddenly, Nicaragua seems to be on the brink of momentous change. What happens next depends heavily on Nicaragua's security forces.

In neighboring Honduras, the right-wing president Juan Orlando Hernández, for example, has stayed in power through deadly demonstrations against his government largely because security forces have suppressed protests.

When the armed forces refuse orders, on the other hand, dictators can fall. The 2011 Tahrir Square protests toppled Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak within weeks, once the military abandoned his regime.

As April's protests expanded, Ortega appeared on television flanked by police commissioner Aminta Granera and military commander General Julio César Áviles, demonstrating that he would use military force to stay in power if necessary.

But neither the police nor soldiers seem keen to shed more blood. On April 20, the military sent troops to guard government buildings - but not to confront protesters themselves.

Around April 20, some police were actually arrested for refusing orders to crack down on protests.

Most significantly, on April 21, as massive protests roiled central Managua, police violence suddenly and completely ceased - a sign that police commissioner Granera issued an order to stand down. She was soon reported to resign.

Legacy of the revolution

This resistance to violence is not surprising given the history of Nicaragua's security forces.

During the 1979 revolution, President Somoza's National Guard met the Sandinistas' popular uprising with murderous repression. It was Sandinista troops who helped sweep away the dictator and his predatory security apparatus.

Somoza's legacy looms large in Nicaragua. In our assessment, today's military is far more likely countenance Ortega's ouster than to murder Nicaraguan citizens in his defense.

Repression may be off the table, but Ortega is a wily politician. To stay in office peacefully, he'll have to negotiate his way back into the good graces of the Catholic Church and business leaders. He has dominated Nicaragua's political life and consolidated so much power for so long, however, that he could offer numerous concessions without losing full control.

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Nicaragua protests threaten an authoritarian regime that looked like it might never fall

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After a week of political protest in Nicaragua, at least 38 people - and possibly over 60 - are dead. President Daniel Ortega, whose government once seemed unshakable, has emerged weakened in the face of protesters demanding his ouster. Ortega, a former leftist revolutionary, has moved to the right since his 2006 election.

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Jump to: Results table | Regional analysis | Resources

Let's get straight to the point: No country gets close to a perfect score in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016.

Over two-thirds of the 176 countries and territories in this year's index fall below the midpoint of our scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The global average score is a paltry 43, indicating endemic corruption in a country's public sector. Top-scoring countries (yellow in the map below) are far outnumbered by orange and red countries where citizens face the tangible impact of corruption on a daily basis.

This year's results highlight the connection between corruption and inequality, which feed off each other to create a vicious circle between corruption, unequal distribution of power in society, and unequal distribution of wealth.

In too many countries, people are deprived of their most basic needs and go to bed hungry every night because of corruption, while the powerful and corrupt enjoy lavish lifestyles with impunity."
- José Ugaz, Chair of Transparency International

The interplay of corruption and inequality also feeds populism. When traditional politicians fail to tackle corruption, people grow cynical. Increasingly, people are turning to populist leaders who promise to break the cycle of corruption and privilege. Yet this is likely to exacerbate - rather than resolve - the tensions that fed the populist surge in the first place. ( Read more about the linkages between corruption, inequality and populism.)

More countries declined than improved in this year's results, showing the urgent need for committed action to thwart corruption.

The lower-ranked countries in our index are plagued by untrustworthy and badly functioning public institutions like the police and judiciary. Even where anti-corruption laws are on the books, in practice they're often skirted or ignored. People frequently face situations of bribery and extortion, rely on basic services that have been undermined by the misappropriation of funds, and confront official indifference when seeking redress from authorities that are on the take.

Grand corruption thrives in such settings. Cases like Petrobras and Odebrecht in Brazil or the saga of ex-President Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine show how collusion between businesses and politicians siphons off billions of dollars in revenue from national economies, benefitting the few at the expense of the many. This kind of systemic grand corruption violates human rights, prevents sustainable development and fuels social exclusion.

Higher-ranked countries tend to have higher degrees of press freedom, access to information about public expenditure, stronger standards of integrity for public officials, and independent judicial systems. But high-scoring countries can't afford to be complacent, either. While the most obvious forms of corruption may not scar citizens' daily lives in all these places, the higher-ranked countries are not immune to closed-door deals, conflicts of interest, illicit finance, and patchy law enforcement that can distort public policy and exacerbate corruption at home and abroad.

Corruption hurts all countries, in every region of the world. Learn more about public sector corruption in your region below.

From the Panama Papers in April to the record US$3.5 billion Odebrecht settlement in Brazil in December, 2016 was a good year in the fight against corruption in the Americas. But there is still a long way to go. Read more

Asia Pacific: Unfortunately, the majority of Asia Pacific countries sit in the bottom half of this year's Corruption Perceptions Index. Poor performance can be attributed to unaccountable governments, lack of oversight, insecurity and shrinking space for civil society, pushing anti-corruption action to the margins in those countries. Read more

Europe and Central Asia: There are no drastic changes in Europe and Central Asia on this year's index, with only a few exceptions. However, this does not mean that the region is immune from corruption. The stagnation also does not indicate that the fight against corruption has improved, but rather the opposite. Read more

Middle East and North Africa: Despite the political changes that shook the Arab region six years ago, the hope for Arab countries to fight corruption and end impunity has not seen any progress yet. This explains the sharp drop of most of Arab countries on the 2016 index - 90 percent of these have scored below 50, which is a failing grade. Read more

Sub Saharan Africa: 2016 saw elections across the African continent with the results providing a good reflection of corruption trends in the region. In Ghana, for example, voters voiced their dissatisfaction with the government's corruption record at the polls where, for the first time in Ghana's history, an incumbent president was voted out. Read more

Due to errors in the 2014 and 2015 CPIs some content has been amended in the 2016 CPI web section. This has not changed the results.

The source description document has also been updated to clarify the underlying questions asked by the CPI sources and how this data is used in the CPI calculations.

See here for more information.

For any press enquiries please contact press@transparency.org

Would you like to know more?

Sign up to stay informed about corruption news and our work around the world

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Jump to: Results table | Regional analysis | Resources Let's get straight to the point: No country gets close to a perfect score in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016. Over two-thirds of the 176 countries and territories in this year's index fall below the midpoint of our scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

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Venezuela

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Venezuelans used to be among the happiest people on the planet.

In 2012, they voted themselves into fifth place in a global Gallup survey on happiness. In 2013, this South American country ranked 20th out of the 156 countries included in the United Nations' annual World Happiness Report, which assesses well-being worldwide based on measures like wealth, life expectancy and corruption.

My home country used to be a prosperous, cheerful place. People were proud to be from Venezuela - a place known for its friendly citizens and beauty queens: Venezuela has produced six Miss Worlds and seven Miss Universes.

Not anymore. This year, Venezuela plunged to 102nd place of 156 countries in the World Happiness Report. By comparison, Denmark topped the list and the United States came in 18th.

What happened?

Terrible leadership

Venezuela has changed dramatically in recent years.

President Nicolás Maduro - who was elected to succeed the popular late leader Hugo Chávez in 2013 - has turned out to be a kind of King Midas in reverse. Everything he touches seemingly turns to garbage.

Venezuela's economy was already going south in Chavez's last years. But under Maduro it has collapsed. Venezuela is drowning in debt, with annual inflation of 15,565 percent.

Once poor people are now starving. On average, Venezuelans have lost 24 pounds each since food shortages began in 2015.

Meanwhile, the middle class is disappearing. According to the labor union UNETE, 75 percent of Venezuelan workers no longer earn enough to support their families.

Maduro's government censors crime data, but citizen groups estimate that 28,479 Venezuelans were killed in 2016, up from 16,549 in 2014. Those are conflict zone-level casualties.

Fleeing these unbearable living conditions, thousands of Venezuelans have begun pouring across the border into neighboring Colombia and Brazil every day.

Rigged elections

Amid all this, Venezuelans must choose their next president on May 20 in an election that international democracy monitors consider a farce.

Maduro has systematically persecuted his opponents, sending them to jail or into exile. The regime has also used the state apparatus to boost its electoral prospects, trading food for votes, suppressing turnout in dissident districts and crushing anti-regime protests.

As a result, this wildly unpopular president is running for reelection without meaningful opposition and is likely to win.

Despair

Venezuelans live in terror. People fear falling ill, because medicine is scarce. They fear being murdered. They fear political repression.

It's hard to be happy under a dictatorship.

Many Venezuelans have lost any hope of political change. Maduro has crippled Venezuela's independent institutions, stacking the Supreme Court with loyalists and stripping the National Assembly of its legislative powers. Freedom of speech is long gone.

And if all that's not bad enough, the 2018 Miss Venezuela pageant has been suspended after allegations of prostitution among its contestants.

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Why Venezuelans are some of the unhappiest people in the world

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Venezuelans used to be among the happiest people on the planet. In 2012, they voted themselves into fifth place in a global Gallup survey on happiness. In 2013, this South American country ranked 20th out of the 156 countries included in the United Nations' annual World Happiness Report, which assesses well-being worldwide based on measures like wealth, life expectancy and corruption.

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A look back at creating "A map of terrorist attacks, according to Wikipedia"

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School shootings

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2018 school shootings: a list of incidents that resulted in casualties - cnn

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There has been, on average, 1 school shooting every week this year

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We're 21 weeks into 2018, and there have been 23 school shootings where someone was hurt or killed. That averages out to more than 1 shooting a week.

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The Odebrecht corruption scandal has not abated; in fact, it is mounting day by day, undermining elected governments in countries across Latin America. The Brazilian construction company has emerged as ringmaster of a sophisticated corruption circus originating in Brazil and extending to another nine countries in the region - plus two in Africa.

While the Brazilian judiciary has spearheaded a bold investigation into the dealings of Odebrecht and other major heavyweights such as Petrobras and OAS - making full use of freshly introduced plea bargains - legal measures outside Brazil have varied widely. Some countries are also actively prosecuting high-profile serving politicians and businessmen but others are almost ignoring the whole issue.
More to come?
With Odebrecht alone estimated to have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to secure contracts in Latin America and Africa, there is still little clarity over who actually pocketed all of the money, or how and where it was laundered. There is a lingering feeling that the evidence to surface so far may be just the tip of the iceberg for a region that is struggling to recover from the commodity cycle bust and faces a key election year - Colombia, Mexico and Brazil are all holding presidential polls in May, July and October, respectively.

"Operação Lava Jato [Operation Car Wash] is probably the largest corruption scandal that we know of," says Jimena Blanco, head of Americas politics research at global risk and consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft. "Exposure to corruption is nothing new for any business going into Latin America, but this is really showing how systematic, endemic and institutionalised it is in many countries in the region - particularly, so far, in Brazil."

The former CEO of Odebrecht, Marcelo Odebrecht, has also given unprecedented insights into the reach of his company's graft at home and abroad, as part of a massive plea bargain agreement that offered him the chance to confess - as well as to reveal his criminal partners - in exchange for a reduced penalty.

About two-thirds of political campaigns in Brazil have been financed through illicit funds, Mr Odebrecht told a Brazilian court in April. His confessions and those of the other 76 Odebrecht officials who participated in the plea agreements implicated dozens of politicians at all levels. They did not spare current president Michel Temer or former president Dilma Rousseff (who was impeached for breaking budget rules in 2015), although both deny any wrongdoing.

Ms Rousseff's predecessor and mentor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was given a jail sentence of 12 years and one monthas an early defendant in Operation Car Wash, the original case that burst open like a Pandora's box, revealing the mismanagement of state oil company Petrobras and quickly leading prosecutors to focus on Odebrecht.
Global reach
The tentacles of Odebrecht's corruption stretched far beyond Brazil. US prosecutors found the company paid out as much as $439m in nine Latin American countries (Argentina, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Venezuela) and two African countries (Angola and Mozambique) to "foreign political parties, foreign officials, and their representatives" between 2001 and 2016, which comes in addition to the $349m paid to Brazilian politicians and political parties, according to figures disclosed by the US Justice Department in 2017. These bribes secured the company 100 projects, and profits of more than $3.3bn - but eventually cost it a $2.6bn fine by Brazilian, American and Swiss authorities.

"Whether or not this is only the tip of the iceberg will depend on how far the judiciaries in various countries are willing to go," says Ms Blanco. "We won't really understand how far the scheme went in each country unless there is a combination of political and judicial will to investigate it properly."

Local prosecutors in some of the countries involved are now following the thread of confessions made to their Brazilian counterparts all the way to local participants in the Odebrecht scheme. In Peru, prosecutors took into custody former president Ollanta Humala and his wife; implicated another former president, Alejandro Toledo; and eventually set their sights on serving president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

So far, Mr Kuczynski has survived an impeachment vote and remains protected by presidential immunity, but his approval ratings have plummeted in the aftermath of the negative headlines, combined with the controversial pardon he granted to disgraced former president Alberto Fujimori. His cabinet is now widely perceived to lack the political strength to push through long-awaited reforms.
Grinding to a halt
In addition to the political upheaval, major infrastructure investment in Peru has stalled for months since tendering processes came under scrutiny, and major contractors in the country such as Graña y Montero have also come under investigation.

"In Peru we have seen the case extending not only to the political, but also to the business elite," says Laura Sharkey, analyst for the Andean and Caribbean region for global risk consultancy Control Risks.

"Authorities took into custody two Graña y Montero executives in December. That means that we are still finding out a lot of information. Because of that, it's very difficult to say what's going to happen, other than that it's going to create quite a lot of uncertainty politically."

In Ecuador, long-time serving vice-president Jorge Glas was given a six-year sentence for his dealings with Odebrecht. In Colombia and Panama, respective presidents Juan Manuel Santos and Juan Carlos Varela have both admitted that their previous campaigns received funds from Odebrecht, although they deny any wrongdoing and have so far been spared criminal investigation. In countries such as Venezuela and Angola, however, the whole issue has been widely overlooked.
Political consequences
Whatever the final reach of local investigations, the Odebrecht scandal has cast a new shadow over a region that has struggled to regain its appeal to foreign investors after the end of the commodity super-cycle. FDI into the Latin America and Caribbean region fell to below $160bn in 2017, from a peak of $206.9bn in 2011, at the height of the previous commodity cycle. There is also a risk that the scandals will have wider political consequences.

"You certainly see the possibility that this could trigger a new wave of anti-establishment populism," says Kathryn Hochstetler, professor of international development at the London School of Economics. "In Brazil it is very clear that Jair Bolsonaro, who is very much an anti-establishment character, much in the 'Trumpian' line , is [polling well]. But it is difficult to say how high the support is for those candidates at the moment."

If Mr Bolsonaro is a serious candidate in Brazil, Mexico's polls are led by the left-wing Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who may finally land the presidency after being defeated in 2006 and 2012. The odds still appear long, however, for anti-establishment candidate Jaime 'El Bronco' Rodríguez, the tough-talking governor of northern industrial hub Nuevo León.

Beyond contingent political consequences, the ongoing backlash against Latin America's chronic corruption of the past "will bring a lot more focus on the integrity of political campaigns and bidding processes and investors will [take that into consideration] in the future", says Ms Sharkey.

Besides, some regional prosecutors - namely in Brazil, but also Peru and Ecuador - have defied their reputation for being aligned with the ruling elite and have taken a bold step forward towards more modern, independent judiciaries through the use of new tools such as plea bargain agreements. The Odebrecht scandal may well be the tip of the iceberg, but its consequences may not be all bad for Latin America.

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How the Odebrecht scandal has shaken Latin America

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The Odebrecht corruption scandal has not abated; in fact, it is mounting day by day, undermining elected governments in countries across Latin America. The Brazilian construction company has emerged as ringmaster of a sophisticated corruption circus originating in Brazil and extending to another nine countries in the region - plus two in Africa.

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A pesar de defender una política de mano dura contra las drogas, el expresidente colombiano llegó a sugerir la despenalización para acabar con el negocio del narcotráfico hace casi treinta años, en el tiempo de los grandes carteles.

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The United States, along with Britain and France, bombed Syria on Friday night.

The decision to strike came one week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against civilians outside Damascus, killing at least 42 adults and children. After that attack, President Donald Trump promised to exact a "big price" on the Assad regime.

The US and its allies deliberated a response over the following week. And then on Friday night, the countries hit three targets - including one on the outskirts of Damascus - all related to Syria's chemical weapons program: a research center, a storage facility, and an equipment facility and command post.

The map of Syria below shows the targets hit on Friday:

The strikes hit at the "very heart" of Syria's chemical weapon program and dealt it a "serious blow," Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie told reporters Saturday. McKenzie also noted Syria could reconstitute its program and the strikes didn't take out all of Syria's chemical weapons facilities, which means Assad could use chemical weapons on civilians again in the future.

Speaking from the White House Friday night, President Donald Trump said the US was "prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents."

But soon after, Secretary of Defense James Mattis gave a different assessment. "Right now, this is a one-time shot, designed to set back the Syrian war machine's ability to produce chemical weapons."

Russia has warned of "consequences" after the attacks, with Russian President Vladimir Putin calling the strikes an "act of aggression" that could "have a destructive effect on the entire system of international relations." Both Russia and Syria claimed on Saturday that "a significant number" of the missiles launched at Syria were shot down, although the Pentagon disputes that. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the strikes a "crime."

No American troops were killed, according to the Pentagon, and as of now, the US does not know if there were any civilian casualties in Syria.

There are still broader concerns. First, the US strikes may not stop Assad from using chemical weapons, or turn the tide of seven-year civil war. Second, it's possible Assad's allies, mainly Russia and Iran, may retaliate against the approximately 2,000 US troops in Syria. And finally, it's unclear if the US will bomb Syria again if Assad's forces use chemical weapons once more.

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The US bombing of Syria, explained in 400 words

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The United States, along with Britain and France, bombed Syria on Friday night. The decision to strike came one week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against civilians outside Damascus, killing at least 42 adults and children. After that attack, President Donald Trump promised to exact a "big price" on the Assad regime.

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El Estado Islámico (ISIS) ha reivindicado la autoría del atropello masivo de Barcelona, que tiene grandes semejanzas con varios de los atentados del Estado Islámico (ISIS) en Europa desde 2014, cuando este grupúsculo wahabita armado irrumpió en Iraq y en la Guerra Civil Siria. Un atropello que recuerda al de Niza (julio de 2016, 86 muertos), Berlín (diciembre, 12 víctimas) o los de Londres de marzo y junio de este año. En todos los casos los terroristas irrumpieron con un vehículo motorizado conduciendo y haciendo eses.

El caso es que desde el 24 mayo de 2014 (cuatro muertos en un tiroteo el Museo Judío de Bruselas) hasta este jueves 17 de agosto (primer ataque terrorista del ISIS en España) van 481 víctimas mortales en Europa en 41 diferentes atentados (el de Las Ramblas es el 42). Atentados que han golpeado París, Londres, Estambul o Moscú. Y Barcelona. Esta es una lista de los ataques terroristas más notorios:

. Tiroteo de Charlie Hebdo y rehenes en el Hipermercado Kosher de París: El 7 de enero de 2015 dos terroristas (los hermanos Kouachi) entraron en la redacción del semanario satírico Charlie Hebdo y asesinaron a ocho de sus empleados, además de dos policías y otros dos civiles. Después, otro transeúnte murió en la huida. Los dos hermanos murieron, pero un tercer atacante, Amedy Coulibaly, se atrincheró en un Hipermercado Kosher al sur de París: cuatro rehenes y el propio Coulibaly fallecieron. El ataque no fue reivindicado por el ISIS, sino por una facción de Al Qaeda en la Península Arábiga.

. Masacre del Bataclan y del 10º y 11º distritos de París: El más mortífero del ISIS hasta ahora: empezó en el Stade de France de París el 13 de noviembre, donde tres terroristas se inmolaron sucesivamente a las 21.16 en un partido amistoso entre Alemania y Francia con la presencia del entonces presidente François Hollande. El resultado fue de un muerto, además de los tres kamikazes, por lo que los atacantes probablemente no lograran su objetivo.

Lo que vino pocos minutos después fue una noche de pesadilla: entre las 21.25 y las 21.40, tres hombres armados perpetraron tiroteos y se autoinmolaron en las terrazas de varias plazas muy concurridas del décimo y undécimo arrondissements, muy frecuentados por la juventud parisina. A las 21.40 otros tres terroristas penetraron en la discoteca Bataclan, donde tocaban los Eagles of Death Metal: dispararon a quemarropa al gentío dejando 89 muertos. A la una de la mañana la policía liquidó a los yihadistas en la sala de fiestas. Total, 130 muertos y estado de emergencia en el país vecino.

. Explosiones del 22 de marzo de 2016 en Bruselas: Bruselas estaba en el punto de mira: no solo de los terroristas, sino de las autoridades francesas, irritadas por la supuesta dejadez de las autoridades belgas ante las células terroristas que campaban a sus anchas en barrios desfavorecidos como Molenbeek. El 22 de marzo dos hombres se inmolaron en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Zaventem y un tercero en el Metro de Maalbeek, a dos pasos de la Comisión y el Parlamento europeos. Hubo 35 muertos.

. Matanza en el Aeropuerto de Atatürk: El 22 de junio de 2016, tres hombres del ISIS armados con armas automáticas y cinturones explosivos perpetraron una matanza en el mayor aeropuerto de Turquía. La pericia de la policía turca evitó que la matanza fuera mayor. Murieron 48 personas, incluidos los terroristas suicidas.

. Matanza de Niza: Un episodio muy mortífero y parecido al de Barcelona sucedió en la localidad mediterránea de Niza el 14 de julio de 2016, mientras decenas de miles de personas festejaban la Fiesta Nacional en el Paseo de los Ingleses. Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel arrolló a la multitud, aglomerada en la avenida marítima, antes de ser liquidado por los gendarmes. Murieron 87 personas incluyendo al terrorista.

. Escalada de atentados en Reino Unido en primavera de 2017: El 22 de marzo pasado, un conductor arrolló y mató a 4 transeúntes en el Puente de Westminster (Londres), asesinando a continuación a un policía antes de fallecer a manos de la policía; el 22 de mayo, dos meses después, una explosión en el Manchester Arena acabó con la vida de otras 22 personas; finalmente, el 3 de junio ocho personas fueron asesinadas de nuevo en Londres cuando tres ocupantes de un vehículo empotraron el coche contra un bar muy cercano al Borough Market y acuchillaron a los civiles que se encontraron a su paso, entre ellos el español Ignacio Echevarría.

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Estos son los peores atentados del ISIS en Europa: 500 muertos desde mayo de 2014

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El Estado Islámico (ISIS) ha reivindicado la autoría del atropello masivo de Barcelona, que tiene grandes semejanzas con varios de los atentados del Estado Islámico (ISIS) en Europa desde 2014, cuando este grupúsculo wahabita armado irrumpió en Iraq y en la Guerra Civil Siria.

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Los vecinos del Raval diseñan informes y fichas para recabar información y dársela a la policía y a las administraciones

'Antoñito' está acusado de ayudar a introducir grandes cantidades de cocaína a través del puerto de Barcelona

Las autoridades han capturado al supuesto homicida, Heriberto "N", alias 'El Koala', este lunes en Tijuana y buscan a dos más

Brian Charrington niega su implicación en un alijo de 192 kilos de cocaína

El partido comunica que lo ha expulsado de sus filas, pero por un robo

La policía ocultó sistemas de escucha en coches, viviendas e, incluso, una portería de fútbol para burlar las extremas medidas de seguridad que tomaba el narco

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Los vecinos del Raval diseñan informes y fichas para recabar información y dársela a la policía y a las administraciones 'Antoñito' está acusado de ayudar a introducir grandes cantidades de cocaína a través del puerto de Barcelona Las autoridades han capturado al supuesto homicida, Heriberto "N", alias 'El Koala', este

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Concepto:

Industria ilegal dedicada al trafico de drogas y al lavado de dinero.

Narcotráfico. El narcotráfico es una industria ilegal mundial que consiste en el cultivo, manufactura, distribución y venta de drogas ilegales. Mientras que ciertas drogas son de venta y posesión legales, en la mayoría de las jurisdicciones la ley prohíbe el intercambio de algunos tipos de drogas.

El narcotráfico opera de manera similar a otros mercados subterráneos. Varios carteles de drogas se especializan en procesos separados a lo largo de la cadena de suministro, a menudo focalizados para maximizar su eficiencia. Dependiendo de la rentabilidad de cada parte del proceso, los carteles varían en tamaño, consistencia y organización. La cadena va de los traficantes callejeros de poca monta, quienes a veces son consumidores de drogas ellos mismos, las pandillas urbanas e intermediarios que puede asimilarse a contratistas, a los imperios multinacionales que rivalizan en tamaño con los gobiernos nacionales.

La Realidad del narcotráfico

Sobre esto hay versiones de cierto sesgo. Algo se produce porque hay consumidores. Después de la derrota estadounidense en Vietnam y las pensiones que recibían lo veteranos creó una alta masa de consumidores de estupefacientes y la capacidad de de compra en Europa, parte de Asia y de América hace posible el consumo. La producción industrial de sustancias y su distribución-como anfetaminas- también apuntan a favor del narcotráfico. la corrupción de autoridades policiales y la privatización de aeropuertos y puertos marítimos permitirían la libre circulación del narcotráfico en su fase de distribución.

Lo que necesitan saber los gobernantes de turno, es que, el narcotráfico y sus acciones donde llega, lo toca y seca todo. Cuando lo narcos quieren apropiarse de un país, más aún cuando este es productor de materia prima para la elaboración de droga, invierten mucho dinero a través del lavado de capitales. Los narcos, ya saben del encanto efímero y endeble de la revolución masista; los narcos, con toda su maquinaria violenta y económica, no sólo le quitan la gracia a la vida sino, sobre todo, convierten la convivencia social en un territorio irracional. En nombre de la libertad y de su libertad que les da le poder de las drogas, se cagan en la libertad espontánea y natural de los ciudadanos; matar y disponer de los medios para sus fines, es su slogan de vida.

El narcotráfico dentro de nuestro territorio no es providencial; a pesar que para el gobierno sigue siendo un tema hipotético, teórico y supuesto, por los opositores al régimen; la gente hoy con sólo escuchar el término narcos o narcotráfico no solamente se le eriza los pelos sino que le cambia la cara. El poder de las mafias de la coca-ína radica en la violencia y el dinero. Así su poder se convierte para mucha gente en algo carismático, mítico, fácil. Sabemos que en el mundo el poder de este negocio es tal que, no necesitan estar los capos de verdad en un lugar o hacer las cosas de verdad, basta su olor para que se propague como un virus en un Estado. Al narcotráfico no le interesa un pito la interculturalidad o la biodiversidad, los derechos humanos o la democracia, sino carreteras y vías de comunicación más fluidas para andar a su gusto por ellas sin que nadie les haga la guerra.

Los narcos no son fantasmas en la cabeza de algunos que pensamos diferente al régimen, ni son soldados que van a defender el territorio, no tienen bombas atómicas, sí, satélites e intrincadas redes de comercialización; los señores narcotraficantes ya no sólo son colombianos o mexicanos, también hay bolivianos y muchos que empiezan a secarlo todo.

Otras Drogas

En algunas áreas del mundo y alrededor de la península arábica, se prohíbe estrictamente el comercio de alcohol. Por ejemplo, Pakistán prohíbe el comercio debido a que su población musulmana es grande. Similarmente, Arabia Saudita prohíbe la importación de alcohol en su reino, aunque el mismo se pasa por contrabando en altas cantidades. En otras áreas es considerado como cualquier otra bebida, y es legal. En otras áreas más, hay un límite de edad para los consumidores, y es necesaria una licencia para vender alcohol, así como también pueden existir otras restricciones a su comercio que afecten su publicidad, el horario de venta, los sitios, etc.

El comercio de tabaco, si bien es legal, está gravado en la mayoría de los países con fuertes impuestos, que buscan por un lado reducir el consumo, y por otro, cubrir los gastos sanitarios derivados de las enfermedades causadas por el tabaquismo. En la Unión Europea, los impuestos representan al menos el 70% del precio de venta del tabaco, subiendo hasta el 80% en el Reino Unido. Es por ello que el contrabando ofrece un alto margen de beneficios.

En Estados Unidos los impuestos del tabaco varían enormemente entre los diferentes estados, lo que favorece el contrabando interno a través de las fronteras estatales. Por otra parte, estos impuestos son más bajos que en Canadá, lo que ha generado un flujo de mercancías ilegales en dicha frontera. El reino de Bhután prohibió la venta de tabaco en 2004, lo que provocó la aparición de un lucrativo mercado negro.

Se estima que un tercio de la producción global de tabaco acaba en el mercado negro. En muchos casos son las propias tabacaleras las que se benefician: Altadis, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris se han visto involucradas en casos de contrabando.

El comercio ilícito internacional en el opio es relativamente raro. Las principales organizaciones de contrabando prefieren refinar el opio en la heroína antes de enviarlos a los países consumidores, ya que para una cantidad dada de heroína el valor es mucho mayor que el de una cantidad equivalente de opio. Como tal, la heroína es más lucrativa, y mucho más fuerte, porque la heroína metaboliza directamente en la sustancia de la principal psicoativa que ocurre naturalmente en la morfina del opio

Heroína y morfina

La heroína ingresa mediante contrabando a los Estados Unidos y Europa. Los niveles de purezas varían enormemente por la región, por la mayor parte, ciudades Nororientales que tienen la más pura heroína en Estados Unidos (según un informe recientemente emitido por el DEA, Elizabeth y Newark (Nueva Jersey) tiene la heroína de calidad más pura en las calles en dicho país). La heroína es una droga fácil de contrabandear porque una pequeña probeta puede contener centenares de dosis. La heroína también es ampliamente (y normalmente en forma ilegal) usada como una droga poderosa y adictiva que produce intensa euforia que a menudo desaparece con la creciente tolerancia.

Este "golpe" viene de su alta solubilidad proporcionada por los dos grupos de acetato, mientras que produce una penetración muy rápida en la barrera del fluido sanguíneo al cerebro después de su uso. Una vez en el torrente sanguíneo, la heroína se convierte rápidamente en morfina. La morfina une entonces a los receptores del opioide en el cerebro y el cordón espinal, mientras causando los efectos subjetivos. Pueden tomarse heroína y morfina o administrarla de varias maneras, incluyendo resoplado e inyección. Estos también pueden fumarse inhalando los vapores producidos cuando son recalentados (conocido como "cazando el dragón"). Las penalidades por contrabandear heroína y/o morfina son a menudo ásperas en la mayoría de los países.

Algunos países pasarán prontamente internacionalmente una pena de muerte para el contrabando ilegal de heroína o morfina, que son ambos parte de la Convención Única sobre Estupefacientes. En los varios países asiáticos, incluso Singapur y Malasia, la heroína y morfina se clasifican por sí mismas y las penalidades para su uso, posesión, y/o trafico son más severas que todas las otras drogas, incluyendo otros opioides y la cocaína.

En algunas áreas de los Estados Unidos, el comercio de metanfetaminas es desenfrenado. Debido a la facilidad en la producción y su grado de adicción, las metanfetaminas son un favorito entre muchos distribuidores de droga.

Según el Community Epidemiology Work Group, los números de incidentes de laboratorios clandestinos de metanfetaminas informados al National Clandestine Laboratory Database disminuyó de 1999 a 2004. Durante este mismo periodo, incidentes similares aumentaron en el Illinois, Michigan, Ohio y Pennsylvania. En 2004, se informaron más incidentes en Illinois que en California . En 2003, los incidentes de laboratorio de metanfetamina alcanzaron un nuevo récord en Georgia , Minnesota , y Texas . Hubo sólo siete incidentes de laboratorio de metanfetaminas informadas en Hawaii en 2004. La metanfetamina a veces se usa en una forma inyectable, poniendo a los usuarios y sus compañeros en riesgo de transmisión de HIV y hepatitis C.

En la Actualidad

La creciente repercusión del narcotráfico y el crimen organizado causa graves secuelas. Muchos de los cientos de casos de sicariato se asocian a las mafias de la droga. La Fuerza Pública no tiene brazos suficientes para acometer contra el flagelo pese a los esfuerzos que hace la Policía. Más allá de discursos con tono político y el inopinado intento de involucrar a las Fuerzas Armadas en tesis políticas del Gobierno, el Ministro de Seguridad llamó a la patriótica participación de las FF.AA. en la lucha contra el crimen organizado en el discurso oficial en la ceremonia del cambio de mando militar. El Informe de las Fuerzas Armadas reseña que el narcotráfico y el crimen organizado son un grave problema internacional que afecta a la sociedad y que merece correctivos adecuados, ya que puede desbordar el control gubernamental.

Es imposible desconocer, empero, que la Constitución de Montecristi circunscribe el papel de las FF.AA. hacia el cuidado de la soberanía y la integridad territorial. Tampoco es del caso ignorar que el debilitamiento institucional de la Policía, por circunstancias ampliamente conocidas, no la deja en el mejor escenario. No cabe soslayar que ante el vigor del combate internacional a las bandas del crimen organizado y del narcotráfico, en especial en Colombia, México y Perú, la penetración ha sido paulatina en el país. Desde Ecuador se embarcan de modo permanente incuantificables cargamentos; para muestra basta la vergüenza de la valija diplomática. Ecuador debe responder de modo severo antes de que los tentáculos del narcotráfico y el lavado de activos penetren más y sean una batalla perdida que afecte a la sociedad toda. Ahora ya vivimos sus funestas consecuencias.

Curiosidades

En desarrollo de la operación Emperador, adelantada por tropas del Batallón de Contraguerrilla No. 2, en área rural del municipio de Dibulla Guajira, fue hallada una caleta la cual contenía insumos químicos y demás materiales utilizados para el procesamiento de coca.

La caleta, hallada en el sitio conocido como La Campana, contenía entre otros elementos 200 kilos de cal, 160 kilos de sal, un galón de Acído Sulfúrico y 18 galones de gasolina, insumos utilizados por el narcotráfico para el procesamiento del alcaloide.

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Concepto: Industria ilegal dedicada al trafico de drogas y al lavado de dinero. Narcotráfico. El narcotráfico es una industria ilegal mundial que consiste en el cultivo, manufactura, distribución y venta de drogas ilegales. Mientras que ciertas drogas son de venta y posesión legales, en la mayoría de las jurisdicciones la ley prohíbe el intercambio de algunos tipos de drogas.

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Throughout the first year of his presidency - and even as he campaigned for the office - President Trump's rhetoric regarding North Korea has been harsh.

He warned earlier this year that America's nuclear capabilities were "much bigger [and] more powerful" than that of the Asian nation. And at the end of 2017, Trump designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror again - a classification that came with additional sanctions.

But on the heels of a planned, historic summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump's tone has softened, saying "great progress" has been made.

From agreeing to meet with Kim to dubbing him "Little Rocket Man," here's a look at what Trump has said about North Korea and its leader over time.

'Good relationship formed'

Trump has confirmed that CIA Director Mike Pompeo - his pick to lead the State Department - secretly met with Kim in April and a "good relationship was formed." He said the meeting "went very smoothly."

The president also disclosed that the U.S. and North Korea have held direct talks at "extremely high levels" in preparation for the summit.

Kim 'will do what is right'

After Kim's first reported visit to China, Trump said "there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity."

"For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility," Trump said in a March tweet, adding that he is looking forward to his upcoming meeting with the North Korean leader.

He also gave North Korea the benefit of the doubt earlier that month, saying he believes the country will abide by its pledge to suspend missile tests.

When Trump delivered a speech in Pennsylvania, the crowd booed the mention of Kim, but the president stopped them.

"No, it's very positive ... no, after the meeting you may do that, but now we have to be very nice because let's see what happens, let's see what happens," Trump said.

Invitation accepted

Trump accepted an invitation from Kim to meet, the White House said. While a time and place has yet to be determined, the two leaders are expected to meet by June.

The invitation to convene was extended by Kim.

"Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached," Trump said on social media. "Meeting being planned!"

"The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined," he later said.

'Possible progress'

As North Korea is reportedly willing to negotiate its nuclear weapons, Trump cautiously acknowledged "possible progress."

"For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned," Trump said on Twitter. "The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!"

At a later White House news conference, Trump said he believed North Korea, which has a long history of deception and threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear missiles, is "sincere."

"We have come certainly a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea," Trump said. Of the possibility for peacefully resolving the nations' deep differences, he said: "It'd be a great thing for the world, would be great for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula."

"But we'll see what happens," Trump said.

Spirit of the Olympics

At the conclusion of the 2018 Winter Olympics, North Korea sent the U.S. a message through South Korea, saying it has "ample intentions" of holding talks with America.

During a meeting with the nation's governors at the White House in February, Trump said those talks will only occur "under the right conditions."

The administration's position has been that North Korea must get rid of its nuclear and missile programs first before any talks can take place.

Relationship status: It's complicated

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump reportedly said he "probably" has a "very good relationship" with North Korea.

Trump also suggested that he is open to diplomacy with the country he's spent years criticizing, the newspaper reported.

"I have relationships with people. I think you people are surprised," Trump said.

The Wall Street Journal released the audio and transcript of the interview after Trump denied making the comments.

'Success for the world'

Trump told South Korea that he would be open to talks with its northern neighbor "under the right circumstances," the White House said.

Trump also took credit for the talks between North and South Korea ahead of next month's Winter Olympics. At a January Cabinet meeting, Trump said it was his administration's pressure on North Korea that caused the rogue nation to negotiate with the South.

"Without our attitude that would have never happened," Trump said of the inter-Korean dialogue. "Who knows where it leads. Hopefully it will lead to success for the world - not just for our country but for the world, and we'll be seeing over the next number of weeks and months what happens."

Whose button is bigger?

After Kim warned Trump about North Korea's nuclear capabilities, Trump hit back on social media, arguing that his "Nuclear Button" is "bigger [and] more powerful."

"North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times,'" the president tweeted. "Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!"

Kim previously warned the U.S. "should know that the button for nuclear war is on my table."

"The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range," he said. "The United States can never start a war against me and our country."

Good news or bad news?

Trump insinuated at the start of the new year that sanctions and additional "pressures" are having a "big impact on North Korea."

"Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea," Trump said. Kim "now wants to talk to South Korea for the first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see!"

In his tweet, Trump was seemingly referring to the recent, dramatic escape of at least two North Korean soldiers across the heavily militarized border into the southern country He also alluded to Kim's recent comments indicating he would send a delegation to the Winter Olympics to be hosted in South Korea.

Trump also took credit for the talks between North and South Korean leaders.

"With all of the failed 'experts' weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasn't firm, strong and willing to commit our total 'might' against the North," Trump said in a Jan. 4 tweet. "Fools, but talks are a good thing!"

'Sick puppy'

While giving a speech on tax reform at a Missouri event in November, 2017, Trump digressed from the topic to call the North Korean leader a "sick puppy."

His comments drew hoots from the crowd.

State sponsor of terror

Trump re-designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror on Nov. 20, 2017, citing its support of "international terrorism, including assassinations on foreign soil."

During a Cabinet meeting, Trump announced the designation came along with new sanctions on the "murderous regime" as part of the administration's "maximum pressure campaign" in dealing with North Korea. He said these sanctions will be "the highest level of sanctions" on the North.

North Korea was on the list but was taken off by the Bush administration in 2008.

Why can't we be friends?

In a series of tweets while in Vietnam, Trump said he doesn't know why the North Korean dictator would "insult" him.

"Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me 'old,' when I would NEVER call him 'short and fat?'" Trump said. "Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!"

The comment came after Kim referred to Trump's speech in South Korea as "reckless remarks by an old lunatic."

'Don't try us'

In Asia, Trump issued a stern warning to North Korea, saying it would be a "fatal miscalculation" for the country to attack the U.S. or an ally.

"This is a very different administration than the United States has had in the past. Do not underestimate us. And do not try us," Trump said during an address at South Korea's National Assembly.

North Korea "has interpreted America's past restraint as weakness," Trump said.

'Let's make a deal'

While on his Asia trip, Trump implored North Korea to "come to the table" for talks on its nuclear weapons program. Trump's request for North Korea to "make a deal" was in stark contrast to his previous hardline rhetoric when it comes to the rogue nation.

"It makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and for the world," Trump said during a news conference alongside South Korean president Moon Jae-in in November 2017.

Trump also said he's seen "a lot of progress" in dealing with North Korea but still called the country a "worldwide threat."

In a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo the day before, Trump repeated his assertion that the "era of strategic patience" with North Korea was finished.

"Some people say my rhetoric is very strong but look what has happened with very weak rhetoric in the last 25 years," Trump said then.

'Rocket Man' is on a 'suicide mission'

After dubbing him "Rocket Man" in a tweet, Trump eventually tried out the new nickname for Kim during his inaugural address to the U.N. General Assembly.

During his speech, Trump vowed to "totally destroy North Korea" if the country so provokes him. He also said Kim was "on a suicide mission."

No more talking

After North Korea said it successfully launched a missile over Japan, a U.S. ally, and into the Pacific Ocean, Trump initially had a subdued response.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said in a written statement after North Korea's missile soared almost 1,700 miles into the Pacific Ocean, triggering alert warnings in northern Japan and shudders throughout Northeast Asia. "All options are on the table."

The missile launch was said to be a "precursor" to North Korea's containment of the U.S. territory of Guam by Kim, according to state-run media.

But in a tweet, the president suggested the U.S. is finished "talking" to North Korea.

"The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer," Trump tweeted.

The U.S. is 'locked and loaded'

Trump took to social media in August 2017 to proclaim that the U.S. military is "locked and loaded" in case "North Korea act[s] unwisely."

'Fire [and] fury' isn't 'tough enough'

With the threat of nuclear violence growing, Trump warned North Korea on Aug. 8, 2017 that he would unleash "fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before."

But when tensions continued to rise and North Korea threatened to attack Guam, Trump said maybe that comment wasn't "tough enough."

"Let's see what [Kim] does with Guam. He does something in Guam, it will be an event the likes of which nobody has seen before - what will happen in North Korea," Trump said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Trump was "sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un can understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language."

Kim Jong Un is 'not getting away with it'

Trump said Kim has "disrespected our country greatly."

"He has said things that are horrific. And with me, he's not getting away with it," Trump said. "He got away with it for a long time, between him and his family. He's not getting away with it. It's a whole new ball game."

'Strategic patience ... is over'

After meeting with the South Korean president in Washington, D.C., in June 2017, Trump said that the "era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed."

"Frankly, that patience is over," he said.

As Trump made these comments, the U.S. was rocked with the death of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old American college student who suffered extensive brain damage while being held captive in North Korea for more than a year.

There are 'worse things' than assassinating Kim Jong Un

In an interview with CBS News during the presidential campaign, Trump said he could "get China to make [Kim Jong Un] disappear in one form or another very quickly."

When asked if he was talking about assassinating the North Korean dictator, Trump shrugged.

"Well, you know, I've heard of worse things, frankly. I mean, this guy's a bad dude - and don't underestimate him," Trump said. "Any young guy that can take over from his father with all those generals and everybody else that probably wants the position, this is not somebody to be underestimated."

'What the hell is wrong with speaking?'

Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in Atlanta that should Kim want to come to the U.S., he would be "accept[ed]."

"I wouldn't go there, that I can tell you. If he came here, I'd accept him, but I wouldn't give him a state dinner like we do for China and all these other people that rip us off when we give them these big state dinners," Trump said in June 2016.

"What the hell is wrong with speaking?" Trump said, referencing the criticism he received for being willing to talk with North Korea. "It's called opening a dialogue."

'Maniac'

During a GOP presidential debate in September 2015, Trump railed on the "maniac" in North Korea while answering a question about Planned Parenthood and women's health issues.

"Nobody ever mentions North Korea, where you have this maniac sitting there, and he actually has nuclear weapons and somebody better start thinking about North Korea and perhaps a couple of other places. But certainly North Korea," Trump said.

"You have somebody right now in North Korea who has got nuclear weapons and who is saying almost every other week, 'I'm ready to use them,' and we don't even mention it," he continued.

China needs to solve the problem

Even before he was president, Trump urged China to step in and help alleviate problems with North Korea.

"North Korea is reliant on China. China could solve this problem easily if they wanted to but they have no respect for our leaders," Trump tweeted in March 2013.

In April 2013, Trump continued that line of thinking, adding that "North Korea can't survive, or even eat, without the help of China." He then accused China of "taunting" the U.S.

As president, Trump has said he is "very disappointed" in actions China has taken regarding North Korea, particularly "allowing oil to go into" the nation. He also said a Chinese envoy to North Korea "had no impact" on Kim.

Additionally, Trump has said he's spoken to China's President Xi Jinping regarding the "provocative actions of North Korea" as well as the planned meeting between Trump and Kim.

"President Xi told me he appreciates that the U.S. is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative," Trump said in March 2018. "China continues to be helpful!"

'Wack job'

In April 2013, Trump urged then-President Barack Obama to "be very careful" with the "28-year-old wack job in North Korea."

"At some point we may have to get very tough," he tweeted.

'Negotiate like crazy'

Trump warned that the U.S. needed to "do something to stop" North Korea in 1999 during an interview with the late Tim Russert on "Meet the Press."

"Do you want to do it in five years when they have warheads all over the place, every one of them pointing to New York City, to Washington and every one of us, is that when you want to do it, or do you want to do something now?" Trump said. "You'd better do it now. And if they think you're serious ... they'll negotiate and it'll never come to that."

He said then that if he ever became president, the first step he would take would be to "negotiate like crazy" to make sure that the country would "get the best deal possible." Trump also predicted then that in "three or four years," North Korea would have weapons aimed all over the world, including at the U.S.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn is a Reporter for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter @K_Schallhorn.

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Trump on North Korea, from 'Rocket Man' to 'fire and fury'

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Throughout the first year of his presidency - and even as he campaigned for the office - President Trump's rhetoric regarding North Korea has been harsh. He warned earlier this year that America's nuclear capabilities were "much bigger [and] more powerful" than that of the Asian nation.

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Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in in historic handshake

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SEOUL, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the South's President Moon Jae-in shook hands Friday over the Military Demarcation Line that divides their countries in a gesture laden with symbolism

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Iñaki Urdangarin, Julián Muñóz, Francisco Correa y Luis Bárcenas. ARCHIVO

Los diez casos más importantes de corrupción que investiga la Justicia en la actualidad y que gravitan a diario sobre la actualidad política, como el 'caso Gürtel' en el que han sido descubiertas cuentas millonarias del extesorero del PP Luis Bárcenas en Suiza, son los siguientes:

Caso Gürtel

Supuesta trama de corrupción ligada a varios cargos del Partido Popular (PP), que comenzó a instruir en 2009 el juez de la Audiencia Nacional Baltasar Garzón (condenado después por ordenar escuchas ilegales en el caso), y que pasó después a ser investigado por los Tribunales Superiores de Justicia de Madrid y de la Comunidad Valenciana, así como por el Tribunal Supremo.

Cerca de 120 personas han estado imputadas en este caso, entre ellas Francisco Correa, presunto cerebro de la trama Gürtel; el expresidente de la Generalitat Valenciana Francisco Camps (absuelto en la "causa de los trajes"), y el exsenador y extesorero del PP Luis Bárcenas (que llegó a tener 22 millones de euros en una cuenta bancaria en Suiza).

Caso Palma Arena

Iniciado en 2008 para investigar el sobrecoste en la construcción del velódromo Palma Arena durante el gobierno autonómico de Jaume Matas (PP) de 2003-2007, ha derivado en 26 piezas distintas, entre las que figuran varias en torno a los incrementos patrimoniales de Matas.

Matas fue condenado en 2012 a seis años de prisión En el primer juicio, Matas fue condenado en marzo de 2012 a seis años de prisión por beneficiar con dinero público al periodista que le escribía los discursos. Esta condena está pendiente de recurso ante el Supremo. Quedan por juzgarse el resto de casos.

Caso Nóos

Es una pieza separada del Palma Arena en la que se investiga desde 2010 el supuesto desvío al Instituto Nóos, que presidía Iñaki Urdangarin, de más de 6,1 millones de euros de los gobiernos regionales de Baleares y la Comunitat Valenciana entre 2004 y 2007 en convenios firmados por el duque de Palma.

En esta causa, que se investiga en Palma, pero con ramificaciones en Valencia y Barcelona, hay imputadas una veintena de personas. La Fiscalía ha reclamado a Urdangarin y a su exsocio Diego Torres, los dos principales acusados, una fianza de 8.189.448 euros en concepto de responsabilidad civil derivadas de las condenas que les podrían imponer por este caso. El juez ultima la instrucción, que no tiene todavía fecha de juicio.

Caso Palau de la Música

La causa abierta en 2009 por el saqueo del Palau de la Música a manos de sus exresponsables Fèlix Millet y Jordi Montull derivó en 2011 en una investigación por el presunto pago de comisiones de la constructora Ferrovial a Convergència Democràtica de Catalunyaa (CDC) a través de la institución cultural, a cambio de la adjudicación de obra pública. CDC tiene su sede embargada a la espera de sentencia.

En esa investigación judicial por el presunto desvío de fondos del Palau, ya casi ultimada, permanecen imputadas una veintena de personas, entre ellas los saqueadores confesos del Palau, pero también cargos de CDC, como su extesorero Daniel Osàcar o el exsecretario de Comunicación de la Generalitat Marc Puig, así como un exdirectivo de la constructora Ferrovial.

Caso ITV

Un juzgado de Barcelona investiga desde el año pasado una presunta trama empresarial que supuestamente intentó amañar los concursos de concesiones de ITV en Cataluña, en la que está imputado el exnúmero 2 de la Diputación de Barcelona Josep Tous, además del subdirector de Seguridad Industrial de la Generalitat, Isidre Masalles, junto a tres empresarios del sector.

La Fiscalía podría imputar a Oriol Pujol La juez instructora está a la espera de que la Fiscalía decida si solicita la imputación de Oriol Pujol, al que un informe de la Agencia Tributaria sitúa como "colaborador necesario" de la red de empresarios, para en su caso remitir la causa al Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Cataluña (TSJC), al tratarse de un aforado.

Operación Malaya

Investiga una presunta trama de corrupción urbanística y municipal descubierta en el municipio de Marbella. Supuso por primera vez la disolución del Ayuntamiento en abril de 2006 y la asunción de sus competencias, incluidas las urbanísticas, por una gestora hasta las elecciones de 2007.

En esta 'operación Malaya' se juzgó desde septiembre de 2010 a 95 personas supuestamente implicadas en la mayor trama de corrupción en un ayuntamiento español, entre ellas, al exalcalde Julián Muñoz y al cerebro de la trama y exasesor de Urbanismo Juan Antonio Roca. En esta operación además se bloquearon mil cuentas y se intervinieron bienes valorados en 3.000 millones de euros. Actualmente está pendiente de sentencia.

Los ERE fraudulentos

El caso saltó a raíz de los dos ERE de Mercasevilla y permanece abierto desde enero de 2011. Suma 60 imputados y cuatro de ellos llegaron a estar encarcelados, aunque ya se encuentran en libertad bajo fianza. Entre los imputados están el exconsejero de Empleo Antonio Fernández; un exviceconsejero, tres directores generales y dos exdelegados provinciales de Empleo.

La juez investiga la posible instauración entre 2000 y 2010 en el seno del Gobierno andaluz de un procedimiento para conceder de manera arbitraria ayudas a empresas en crisis y prejubilaciones a trabajadores burlando la ley de subvenciones mediante la creación de lo que un imputado denominó "fondo de reptiles", que habría contado con al menos 695 millones de euros de dinero público.

Operación Pokémon

Comenzó en un juzgado de Lugo en septiembre de 2012 e investiga la existencia de una supuesta trama para la obtención de concesiones y contratos públicos de manera presuntamente irregular en varios ayuntamientos gallegos.

El número de imputados supera la treintena, muchos de ellos políticos. El último, en Santiago de Compostela, el alcalde Ángel Currás (PPdeG), imputado pero sin medidas cautelares, la misma situación que tiene actualmente su homólogo en Lugo, Xosé Clemente López Orozco (PSdeG), que además es presidente del PSdeG. Además figura también acusado el exalcalde de Ourense Francisco Rodríguez (PSdeG), que dejó el cargo.

Operación Campeón

En esta operación, que se inició en 2011, se investigan presuntos delitos de fraude en subvenciones públicas. La instrucción está a punto de llegar a su fin, después de más de año y medio de diligencias para investigar la existencia de una supuesta trama para obtener subvenciones públicas de forma fraudulenta.

La investigación ha salpicado a políticos del PP, PSOE y BNGEl principal acusado en esta investigación judicial, con un centenar de imputados, es el empresario lucense Jorge Dorribo, propietario de la farmacéutica Nupel, pero la investigación ha salpicado a políticos del PP, PSOE y BNG, como el exministro de Fomento José Blanco; el actual alcalde socialista de Lugo, Xosé López Orozco; el exdiputado autonómico del PP Pablo Cobián y el exconselleiro del BNG Fernando Blanco. Se ultima la instrucción.

Caso Cooperación

Se investiga la supuesta malversación, entre 2008 y 2011, de fondos del Gobierno valenciano destinados a proyectos de cooperación internacional a través de una trama de ONG que supuestamente consiguió y desvió las ayudas por unos seis millones de euros concedidas para iniciativas en Guinea, Haití y Nicaragua.

Por este caso está encarcelado el empresario César Augusto Tauroni y hay 33 imputados, entre ellos el exconsejero de Solidaridad Rafael Blasco. Posteriormente, el exconsejero de Hacienda José Manuel Vela y el ex interventor general de la Generalitat Salvador Hernándiz, fueron imputados por posible revelación de secreto en relación a un informe que encargó el juez sobre estas ayudas y que al parecer podría haber sido facilitado a Blasco.

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Los diez casos de corrupción que empañan la actualidad política

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Son los diez casos más importantes de corrupción que investiga la Justicia en la actualidad y que gravitan a diario sobre la actualidad política. Desde el 'caso Nóos' hasta la 'operación Malaya', todos implican a políticos. El más amplio es el 'caso Gürtel', en el que han sido descubiertas cuentas millonarias del extesorero del Partido Popular Luis Bárcenas en Suiza.