Robert J. Bunker and Mae Key-Ketter, C/O Futures Gang Research Note Series
Typically, when Los Angeles gang exports to Central America are discussed, they focus on the MS-13 and 18th Street (Hispanic) gangs—the maras—because of the ongoing media attention placed on them. Those gangs have been firmly established in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala from the 1980s onward and now dominate both street and prison life. However, Belize has also been dramatically impacted by LA gang member deportations. In this instance, the deportations pertain to the Bloods and Crips (Black) gangs. This note represents exploratory research and cursory analysis pertaining to this phenomenon which is relatively overlooked and understudied due to Belize’s insular location, relatively small population, and the lack of recognized transnational criminal activity as found with the much larger and influential maras.
