Janaina Maldonado Guerra da Cunha

When a robbery kills an off-duty police officer in São Paulo, both police and a powerful criminal organisation respond. Based on ethnographic research (2018–2024), this paper shows how violence is mobilised, punished and regulated—and how these practices shape power in urban peripheries.

The GIGA and the EULAC Foundation co-organised, with the support of the City of Hamburg, the two-day workshop ‘Port Cities Fighting Transatlantic Drug Trafficking’ in early April 2025. This policy brief present the core themes and insights emerging from the workshop, highlighting key takeaways.

The GIGA and the EULAC Foundation co-organised, with the support of the City of Hamburg, the two-day workshop ‘Port Cities Fighting Transatlantic Drug Trafficking’ in early April 2025. This policy brief present the core themes and insights emerging from the workshop, highlighting key takeaways.

Trump’s disruptive policies could inadvertently provide the impetus to bring Europe and Latin America closer together. With smart policies, the incoming German government can leverage shared interests for a renewed partnership.

On 3 January, Nicolás Maduro was captured by Donald Trump's administration, a move that was largely justified by the narrative of an alleged fight against drug trafficking. In this interview, Maldonado reflects on Venezuela's role in the transnational cocaine trade and the potential impact of Maduro's arrest on the cocaine market.

In this interview, Janaina Maldonado reflects on the consequences of the management of violence in poor urban areas in Brazil, in light of the deadly police operation in Rio de Janeiro on 28 October, which left 121 people dead. 

Podium Discussion: Brazil: a strategic partnership for Germany in times of geopolitical uncertainty, Brasilianische Botschaft, Berlin Prof. Dr. Merike Blofield (Organiser), Dr. Samuel Siewers (Panelist), Prof. Dr. Detlef Nolte (Panelist), Prof. Dr. Christian von Soest (Moderator), Jesús Renzullo (Panelist), Dr. Tomas Costa de Azevedo Marques (Panelist), Janaina Maldonado Guerra da Cunha (Panelist)

GIGA and the Embassy of Brazil in Berlin explored the strategic partnership between Brazil and Germany amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

As a side-event to the 2025 EU-CELAC summit in Colombia, this event brings together European and Latin American academics and stakeholders to discuss the challenges of drug policy and organised crime, which affect both continents.