Freelance investigative journalist and security analyst in LatAm focusing on organized crime, corruption, and the people who fight it. Former InSight Crime investigator. Read my work: https://muckrack.com/anastasia-austin-1https://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3m3cyfpetu22hPeru’s congress bet on ousting a rubber stamp president to pacify protestors in Lima. The bet has not come off. It may have even made things worse. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/one-dead-dozens-injured-perus-new-president-faces-widespread-protests-2025-10-16/16 Oct 2025 14:39 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3cyfpetu22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3m375s7b7ls2xEcuador protests |Sources in Ecuador continue to share pretty disturbing videos with me. They show military members threatening civilians rifles, attacking, beating up, and kicking people after they’re down. 🪡15 Oct 2025 02:05 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m375s7b7ls2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lzp4awufuk2zLast week, the CONAIE in Ecuador called its first national strike since 2022. A lot of media are calling it a "strike over the diesel subsidy cut." But while diesel was the trigger, the region's most powerful indigenous federation's list of demands is much longer, including... 🧵25 Sep 2025 23:30 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzp4awufuk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lyickavtjs2aLast week, the US designated Ecuadorian gangs, the Lobos and the Choneros as terrorist organizations, even while promising nearly US$20 million to “wage war against these vicious animals, these terrorists.” Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/09/04/nx-s1-5529328/ecuador-rubio-drug-gangs-designated-terrorists https://cepr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4136499930754322a9a85cb97&id=a6ac0bebce&e=d8757384cf10 Sep 2025 13:09 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyickavtjs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lwd5gl6fgs2yA Canadian lawyer just filed a complaint against Dundee Precious Metals before the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) for misleading shareholders about the Loma Larga #mining project in #Ecuador. The complaint cites our report for @theguardian.com bit.ly/4oqd3Kr14 Aug 2025 01:03 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwd5gl6fgs2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lvt54tancs2qBreaking |Ecuador's mining ministry announced it will suspend the Loma Larga project in #Ecuador until Dundee Precious Metals publishes an environmental management plan. This represents a step back after the Noboa administration pushed through the company's environmental license just last month07 Aug 2025 16:15 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lvt54tancs2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lloeat43vs2h“They are all here,” a lady running a little shop on one of these roads told us. “The military comes through during the day, and when they go home in the evening, the others come out. I serve everyone - what else can I do?” Read our latest on OffMap Media: bit.ly/3Yc3Nhz31 Mar 2025 12:28 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lloeat43vs2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3llm672yses2m🚨New Article | Our latest for @offmapmedia.bsky.social explores the tricky balance between navigating real danger in Colombia’s countryside and not getting sucked into the prejudices and anxieties that have accumulated over decades of civil conflict. #Colombia #FARC-EP #ELN #security30 Mar 2025 15:34 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3llm672yses2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3ll7fqnmpfc2iThe Trump administration is like Hitler’s Germany — a fascist state. Except when it’s like Springtime for Hitler — an absurdist parody of itself. @theatlantic.com @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.social25 Mar 2025 13:44 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3ll7fqnmpfc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lkq5pl5qlc2oI wish democrats in the US would pay attention, instead of worrying about bipartisanship, “waiting for the fever to break”, and getting vulnerable with their gym buddies or whatever it is Chuck Schumer is doing.19 Mar 2025 12:11 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkq5pl5qlc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3ljyhg2vcqs2fNew article out! It’s part of my favorite series — “In their own words” — interviews with people we meet on our trip translated and edited for clarity - that’s it. This latest one is with a Colombian bike mechanic who does it for the love of the game. Check it out! https://www.offmap.media/p/tomas-isaza-for-me-it-is-the-best?r=oy47u&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false https://open.substack.com/pub/offmapmedia/p/tomas-isaza-for-me-it-is-the-best?r=oy47u&utm_medium=ios10 Mar 2025 02:01 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljyhg2vcqs2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3ljvzmc6p6s2wFor anyone looking for podcast recommendation — InSight Crimes’s “In the Shadow of El Dorado” is captivating and incredible for understanding how messy the line between legal and blood gold in the country is. Episodes 3/4 out now. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bjPPFqtjFr5nj1W8RBzx7?si=E5Wl-YcPR2K5K_sa60G3aQ09 Mar 2025 02:48 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljvzmc6p6s2whttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3ljkgctnf5c2yToday’s recommended read on Mexico with lessons for the United States where academic research is being gutted left and right.04 Mar 2025 12:04 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljkgctnf5c2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3ljie353ixc2p“At Tourism’s Fragile Frontier” - my latest for OffMap Media! https://www.offmap.media/p/tourism-fragile-frontier?r=oy47u&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Mar 2025 16:18 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljie353ixc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3limpyabfg225Gold prices are at historic highs. And, as in the time of conquistadors, local communities in Latin America are paying the blood price in the hunt for El Dorado. This new podcast by my former colleagues at InSight Crime takes you into the depths of this shady economy: bit.ly/3DcXkeW https://insightcrime.org/audio-from-the-ground-up/the-shadow-of-el-dorado-podcast/20 Feb 2025 16:37 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3limpyabfg225https://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lhscb7qte22yCNE says Ecuadorians are likely to head back to the polls on April 13 in a race that's looking much tighter than expected. Our updated coverage here: https://open.substack.com/pub/offmapmedia/p/special-report-carnival-of-despair?r=oy47u&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web10 Feb 2025 04:22 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhscb7qte22yhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lhro22fs7k2yPolls just closed in #Ecuador. Here’s what the CNE is saying. @offmapmedia.bsky.social @murosinvisibles.bsky.social09 Feb 2025 22:20 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhro22fs7k2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lhrfphnbdc2aWe're in Quito, reporting on today's elections. Our analysis is out now and will be updated throughout the day! Check it out here: https://open.substack.com/pub/offmapmedia/p/special-report-carnival-of-despair?r=oy47u&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true09 Feb 2025 19:51 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhrfphnbdc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lhgxezftn22n@theguardian.com reports that “hundreds of thousands of children who rely on school meals have been left without sustenance after food was left to rot in the wake of Musk’s declaration that he wanted the US aid agency to “die”.” Peak efficiency.05 Feb 2025 16:08 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhgxezftn22nhttps://bsky.app/profile/anastasia-austin.bsky.social/post/3lhgu7lew222nSomehow the fact that unelected and unvetted billionaire lapdogs are blocking congressional reps from entering agencies is the part of this coup that gets me the most… [contains quote post or other embedded content]05 Feb 2025 15:11 +0000at://did:plc:ipw2apglok33ujtsof5fohvn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhgu7lew222n