Drug trafficking in Latin America is undergoing a significant transformation: an increasing number of women are taking on leadership roles in drug cartels. This change reflects a considerable strengthening of these organizations, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“This rise has to do with how we perceive the role of women in security, particularly in the field of drug trafficking, and requires a review,” Yadira Gálvez, a security expert and academic at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, told Diálogo. “Women are historically associated with minor roles in this activity or as the victims.”
Women’s empowerment in these groups implies more active participation in violent activities such as torture and murder, matching men’s responsibilities in these criminal circles. According to a report by the international nongovernmental organization Crisis Group, this systematic recruitment reinforces the presence and influence of these cartels wherever they operate.
According to Deborah Bonello, journalist and author of Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin American Cartels, “many women join these groups in search of power, wealth, and the adrenaline rush that comes with the risk inherent in the world of crime,” the BBC reported.
Their entry into the criminal world often occurs through personal relationships. Their romantic ties with men involved in criminal activities expose them to situations where the leaders of illegal groups value their social and financial skills, details the Crisis Group report.
Several hitwomen interviewed by Crisis Group said that criminal life is a form of self-defense and protection against becoming victims. Especially for the younger ones, crime is a way to survive in violent environments, gain autonomy, dignity, and the possibility to take revenge or resolve past conflicts.
Criminal landscape
Drug traffickers also believe that women can go unnoticed more easily, as they are more observant, more patient, and evade the attention of the police and the army, Crisis Group indicated. These cartels take advantage of gender stereotypes that reduce suspicion toward women compared to men when committing crimes.
“This change in the criminal landscape creates more complex and multifaceted groups linked to financial, operational, and money laundering aspects. In this context, it is crucial to analyze the role of women in all criminal structures and operations,” said Gálvez.
Likewise, the growing participation of women in organized crime in Latin America manifests itself in a variety of roles. For example, in Mexico, several women are in charge of operating drones in these criminal organizations, which allows them to rise to intelligence and leadership positions in their groups, Gálvez said.
There are women who run criminal groups managing kidnappings, extortion, and human trafficking. They supervise some 20 members, recruit new members, plan attacks, and determine internal sanctions within the organization. This leadership implies constant availability, isolation from family, and the risk of betrayal, the Crisis Group report indicated.
The increase in the participation of women in organized crime causes an increase in the recruitment of their children, generating “a cycle of intergenerational crime,” where children are recruited as punishment or to survive when women are imprisoned, and there are no adult caregivers available, Crisis Group detailed.
The number of women imprisoned for crimes associated with organized crime is on the rise, according to the NGO. The proportion of women charged with these crimes has risen from 5.4 percent in 2017 to 7.5 percent in 2021 in Mexico, where women represent between 5 and 8 percent of active personnel in criminal groups.
In Colombia, the number of women deprived of liberty has grown notably, exceeding 400 percent between 1991 and 2021, reaching 6,000 inmates for drug trafficking-related offenses. In Ecuador, seven out of 10 female inmates face charges for the same reason, Argentine news site Infobae reported.
The Boss’s Wife
Following the extradition to the United States of Ovidio Guzmán, alias El Ratón, Adriana Meza, nicknamed The Boss’s Wife, is believed to have taken command of the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Her ties to the cartel go back to her father Raul Meza Ontiveros, alias El M-6, who was killed in a 2007 shootout. Meza was a lieutenant of Ismael El Mayo Zambada, Infobae reported.
Although versions point to Adriana as the new leading figure in the Sinaloa Cartel, the U.S. government still identifies Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar as the main leader of Los Chapitos, for whom it is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his capture, Infobae reported.
La Diabla
Yuri Patricia Sánchez, alias La Diabla, arrested in 2016, is on the list of women who have headed drug trafficking operations in Colombia. She is accused of playing a crucial role in the murders carried out by hitmen of the Clan Usuga against members of the security forces, as well as acquiring and hiding weapons for the criminal organization, Argentine newspaper El Clarín reported.
La Diabla joins other notable hitwomen such as Melissa Margarita Calderón Ojeda, also known as La China. The latter led a group of hitmen within the special forces of Los Dámaso, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. At least 150 murders have been attributed to La China, known for her violence, El Heraldo de México reported.
Challenge
“In this context, it is vital that security forces in Latin America adapt their investigative strategies to recognize female participation in criminal networks, challenging the ingrained perception that women are not an active part of these criminal organizations,” Gálvez said. “Transforming this stereotype is essential to effectively address this complex reality.”
There is also a need to improve intelligence capabilities to adapt to the changing dynamics of criminal organizations and their wide range of illicit activities. “It is critical for security forces to identify and dismantle these organizations, thereby reducing levels of violence, which includes close international cooperation,” Gálvez concluded.