Segovia goes into lockdown when a new gold war begins as Colombia’s broader conflict enters a new chapter. But is this an existential battle between legal and illegal, or is that just wartime propaganda?

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This series follows reporters James Bargent and Mat Charles as they head to the Colombian town of Segovia, in search of the blood gold that contaminates global supply chains and ends up in the hands of everyday consumers. But what they find there challenges conventional understandings of conflict minerals as they expose how it is not only warlords and gangsters that grow rich from dirty gold, but also global political and business elites.

We have some incredible additional content, which will take you right into the thick of the action, and allow you to explore this head-spinning story with the depth it deserves.

Listen to the series and explore all the aditional content here

Global capitalism marches into town, pledging to save Segovia from itself. But what – or who – lies behind the promises of a new era of stability and prosperity for all? 

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This series is the product of 10 years of investigative work in one of the most dangerous corners of Colombia. This work is not only risky, it is also expensive. But we believe it is important. If you would like to help InSight Crime continue to produce in depth investigations as well as news and analysis of the security issues facing the region today, consider making a donation.

The Frontino story leads us right back to them – the paramilitary groups that have lurked in the shadows of Segovia for generations – and our definition of blood gold begins to expand as the line between legal and illegal fades away. 

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The Shadow of El Dorado is not just a podcast. We also have some incredible additional content, which will take you right into the thick of the action, and allow you to explore this head-spinning story with the depth it deserves. Explore each episode page for more.

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Our blood gold investigation takes an unexpected turn as we dive into the story of Frontino Gold Mines, a decades-old mystery that could hold the key to understanding how Segovia became the mafia town we see today.

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The Shadow of El Dorado is not just a podcast, we also have some incredible additional content to explore. Visit the podcast page to see videos, photos, interviews, and to follow the paper trail of key documents we uncovered during the investigation. (edited) 

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Our search for Colombia’s blood gold takes us to Segovia and the illegal mines at the very beginning of the global supply chain. But what we find there is a strange mirror world, where conventional narratives fall apart, and the names and labels we try to apply do not make sense.

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The Shadow of El Dorado is not just a podcast, we also have some incredible additional content to explore. Visit the podcast page to see videos, photos, interviews, and to follow the paper trail of key documents we uncovered during the investigation.

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In this episode, we dive into the 2025 presidential elections in Ecuador, a country that was once the envy of Latin America for its stability and safety. On February 9, voters went to the polls, and now, incumbent Daniel Noboa and challenger Luisa González are headed for a crucial second-round vote in April.

But this election is taking place amid a severe security crisis. Formerly known for its low homicide rates and booming economy, Ecuador is grappling with surging violence and organized crime. How did a country so stable slip into chaos, and how are the candidates addressing these issues?

In this episode, we speak with Steven Dudley, co-director of InSight Crime, who helps us unpack the security challenges Ecuador faces and how these issues are shaping the election. From escalating violence to the candidates’ proposals on crime and safety, we explore what’s at stake for Ecuador’s future.

Ecuador’s Path Forward: Crime, Elections, and the Next President | Interview between Liza Schmidt and Steven Dudley.

Visit insightcrime.org for more information.

La relación del gobierno venezolano con el Tren de Aragua ha sido objeto de escrutinio tras las acusaciones de que el ministro del Interior pudo estar detrás de un complot para contratar a la banda para llevar a cabo un asesinato político en Chile.

Las autoridades chilenas buscan la extradición de varios presuntos miembros del Tren de Aragua acusados de secuestrar y asesinar al exmilitar venezolano Ronald Ojeda en Santiago, la capital chilena. El 1 de marzo de 2024 el cuerpo de Ojeda fue encontrado dentro de una maleta, nueve días después de haber sido secuestrado por un grupo de hombres vestidos como oficiales de policía chilenos.

Uno de los individuos en la mira de los fiscales chilenos es Luis Alfredo Carrillo Ortiz, alias «El Gocho». La policía colombiana arrestó al presunto miembro de esta banda criminal transnacional venezolana el 6 de febrero.

Lo que un asesinato en Chile reveló sobre la relación de Maduro con el Tren de Aragua | Escrito por la Unidad Investigativa de Venezuela de InSight Crime y Narrado por Daniel Reyes.

Visite insightcrime.org para más información.

Apenas dos semanas después de tomar posesión, el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, dio un ultimátum a los gobiernos de Canadá, China y México.

Si no intensificaban sus esfuerzos para interrumpir el flujo de drogas sintéticas y migración irregular hacia Estados Unidos, el gobierno impondría nuevos aranceles a casi todos los bienes importados de esos países.

Por qué los aranceles estadounidenses no detendrán el flujo de fentanilo o de migrantes desde México | Escrito por Parker Asmann, y narrado por Daniel Reyes.

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Just two weeks after taking office, US President Donald Trump gave the governments of Canada, China, and Mexico an ultimatum.

If they did not step up efforts to disrupt the flow of synthetic drugs and irregular migration into the United States, the government would impose new tariffs on nearly all goods imported from those countries.

Why Trump’s Tariffs Won’t Slow the Flow of Migrants or Fentanyl From Mexico | Written and narrated by Parker Asmann.

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InSight Crime set out to the town of Segovia in search of Colombia’s blood gold – gold that makes us, the global consumers, complicit in conflict, crime, and corruption. But what we found was a trail that led not only to gangsters and warlords, but also to presidents and billionaire investors. Join us as we uncover the hidden story of Segovia’s descent from a company town to a mafia town and expose the savage capitalism that runs wild in the forgotten corners of the global economy.

First two episodes out on February 20th... Stay tuned.