Small-time drug dealing "flourishing" in Mexico City, extortions were 'stable'

Petty drug dealing increased "notably" in Mexico City, from just under 2,300 registered cases in 2024 to just over 3,400 in 2025, the daily La Jornada reported on 2 February, citing city prosecutors. The Mexico City prosecution service said this was a 48.5% increase and unrelated to mere posession, which remained at a round 2,600 registered incidents in that time. Prosecutors also noted a rise of just over 4% in illegal property occupation or squattting incidents - with around 10 cases a day reported to the police - and signs this was organized in parts of the city. Extortions, one of the country's most resilient, and under-reported, crimes and a daily staple for gangs and even cartels, remained 'stable' through 2024-25, with around 2,400 reported incidents. The daily separately reported on recent attempts at extortion in the elegant Condesa district in central Mexico City. Several businesses told police they had been asked by phone to pay sums ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 pesos (up to 2,400 euros), to avoid getting "machine gunned," La Jornada reported on 31 January. Police increased patrols in response and were observing the targeted shops.

Venezuela elections may take two years, says U.S. official

Venezuela, currently run by a socialist regime under U.S. tutelage, may not hold a general election for between 18 and 24 months, the Wall Street Journal recently reported, citing the U.S. Energy Secretary Christopher Wright. After capturing the country's last leader, Nicolás Maduro, the United States said it was working to stabilize Venezuela's economy and institutions before activating a transition back to democracy. Wright was speaking in an explanatory meeting with lawmakers and oil executives concerned by the opaque nature of relations between the government of Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez and the administration of President Donald J. Trump, which wants U.S. firms invest in Venezuelan oil. Observers were worried the regime would seek to drag out reforms and 'wait out' the Trump administration, Colombia's NTN24 reported on 2 February. The broadcaster separately cited Reuters as reporting a rise in Venezuelan oil production under U.S. control to 800,000 barrels a day, from just under 500,000 in December 2025. The oil was heading to the United States, now acting as Venezuela's paymaster. Delcy Rodríguez said in Caracas on 2 February that the United States had so far paid Venezuela U.S. $300 million for oil exported in January, CNN reported, without specifying if the United States was supervising Venezuelan state expenditures.