The Dangerous Allure of Mano Dura: How Latin America’s Heavy-Handed Approach to Crime Has Become a Global Concern

Durán in Ecuador is notorious for being the most dangerous city in the world, with a murder rate of 148 per 100,000 residents in 2023. This surpasses Mandela Bay in South Africa by almost 50%. Despite its small population of about 300,000 inhabitants, Durán faces high levels of crime due to its proximity to Guayaquil, a major export hub for cocaine.

This city serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing Latin America, where a disproportionate amount of the world’s murders occur. Despite accounting for only 8% of the global population, the region experiences a third of all homicides. In response to the pervasive violence, leaders in Latin America often adopt a heavy-handed approach known as mano dura, or the iron fist.

Mano dura tactics include imposing states of emergency for indefinite periods, deploying the military on the streets, and conducting widespread arrests without discrimination. While these measures have led to a decrease in the murder rate, they come at a steep cost. El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, is a prominent advocate of mano dura, having imprisoned nearly 80,000 individuals—over 1% of the population—in the past two years.

Despite praise and attempts to emulate the “Bukele model” by officials in the region, there are concerns about the long-term effectiveness and human rights implications of such aggressive tactics. As Latin American countries grapple with high levels of violence