Concepción Olavarrieta Highlights the Future of Organized Crime in Latin America

At the First International Symposium on the Role of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Citizen Security and the Fight Against Organized Crime, organized in Peru on June 19, 2025, Concepción Olavarrieta, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of The Millennium Project and Co-Chair of its Mexico Node, was invited by Fernando Ortega, Node Chair of the Peru Node and CONCYTEC Underdirector, to deliver a forward-looking presentation titled “The Futures of Transnational Organized Crime in Latin America by 2050.”

Olavarrieta emphasized that financial crime has now become the largest source of revenue for transnational organized crime worldwide. In her detailed analysis, she identified the key actors involved in these operations and stressed the growing sophistication of their methods. A focal point of her presentation was Mexico’s National Security Strategy 2024–2030, which includes a comprehensive framework of 30 indicators to measure and evaluate security outcomes. She also showcased a range of specific Mexican strategies aimed at dismantling criminal operations related to illegal logging and mining, contract killings, extortion of businesses and individuals, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.

The symposium, hosted in Lima, brought together experts from academia, public institutions, and international organizations to explore the critical role of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in confronting citizen insecurity and organized crime. Participants highlighted the urgency of integrating evidence-based approaches into national and regional strategies, especially in countries facing escalating criminal threats.

Download Olavarrieta’s presentation (.pdf)

More information about the symposium