Open-Source Intelligence Forum Bellingcat has published a report on Nicaragua’s use of paramilitary organizations to quell the country’s protests in 2018, prompting renewed criticism against the uses by NGOs. These open-source data points support widespread reporting from sources formerly within the country’s law enforcement agencies that the paramilitary groups were

Colombia’s largest criminal syndicate has declared a ceasefire for Christmas and New Year, encouraging other organizations to follow suit as well. “We declare a unilateral ceasefire of offensive military action nationally in all of the areas where we are present, between Dec. 8, 2018 and Jan. 10, 2019. We invite