The South America and Caribbean region exhibits the highest homicide rates globally, with crime-related activities constituting the predominant cause of these homicides.
The region contains three of the most lethal countries globally. Jamaica’s murder rate stands at 53.3 per 100,000 individuals, exceeding that of the United States by more than eightfold. In recent years, there has been an increase in the influx of illegal firearms into the country, predominantly smuggled from the United States, especially from Florida.
Subsequent to Jamaica are the island nations of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as Trinidad and Tobago. These two nations serve as significant centres for Venezuelan cocaine traffickers facilitating the transit of illegal drugs to the United States and Europe.
Mexico is the most dangerous country in North America, recording over 30,000 murders annually since 2017. The Mexican government has initiated legal action against seven American gun manufacturers for their purported involvement in supplying firearms to traffickers, which subsequently are acquired by criminal organisations. The $10 billion lawsuit targets prominent U.S. manufacturers, including Colt and Smith & Wesson, whose firearms frequently appear at crime scenes.
South Africa, the most industrialised nation in the region, exhibits the highest murder rate on the continent. In the context of persistent violent crime, kidnapping rates rose by 41.7% from 2022 to 2023. Currently, the nation possesses 2.4 million illegal firearms amidst unprecedented crime rates.
