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Brazil led the list with a total of 6,401 kidnapping cases in the latest available data. Ecuador followed with 2,724 occurrences in 2023. On the flip side, there was only one reported kidnapping in the Antigua and Barbuda during that year.

Homicides, another recurrent problem in Latin America

Among the region's prevalent offenses, intentional homicide emerged as one of the main concerns in the region. Nonetheless, the rates vary among the different countries. Brazil leads the ranking of the most number of homicides in Latin America, as well as being the most populated country by far. On the other hand, Ecuador holds one of the top positions according to the homicide rate, reporting nearly 51 instances per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025. Nevertheless, even with these varying homicide rates across countries, Venezuela falls under the top five world's most perilous urban centers, with Caracas reporting a homicide rate at around 81.5 per 100,000 inhabitants. 

Cost of violence in Central America

Following criminal acts, the responsibility for addressing the consequences falls squarely on the government, causing government expenditure to surge, called the cost of violence. Notably, Panama is more severely impacted in Central America, with the economic cost of violence per inhabitant accounting for over 4,933 U.S. dollars in 2023. In terms of a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Honduras takes the first place with a value of 14 percent of their GDP.