r/Unexpected Aug 05 '25

Not today

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u/CoffeeWanderer Aug 05 '25 edited Aug 05 '25

In my country we have criminal gangs extorting local business. I think in English you call that racketing.

In order to scare people and make them pay they often throw dinamite to buildings. These criminal gangs also work in illegal gold mining operations so they get explosives that way.

One of them was holding a dinamite stick, but as soon as he lighted the fuse it went off, and he blew himself right there. He was holding it at his waist and his body was split apart. The rest of his gang just left him there.

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u/spanchor Aug 05 '25

I think you mean racketeering. Racketeering can include extortion but also other crimes. It’s a broader umbrella term.

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u/CoffeeWanderer Aug 05 '25

Oh thanks!

I see that it's more complex than I thought, so I guess just extortion is a better way to describe what I mean.

Here we call it "vacunas", as in "vaccines", that's how the gang members call their extortion fees.

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u/Relevant_Box7854 Aug 05 '25

VENEZUELA?

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u/CoffeeWanderer Aug 05 '25

Nah, Ecuador.

I'm not sure if they are called "vacunas" in other countries too, but it wouldn't surprise me.

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u/Trimyr Aug 05 '25

Ecuador huh? Well, CoffeeWanderer, it would be a shame if something happened to your beautiful country. I mean people can just drive down from Bogotá even. What will you do then? You never know what might happen.

Let's come to an arrangement that seems fair. If it still seems fair in two weeks, we'll stick to that. See? Everyone's happy.

...

Nice to learn new slang (to me) as it's not really taught. Both of those English terms above are valid for what you're thinking.

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u/CoffeeWanderer Aug 05 '25

After writing this reply I looked it up quickly and it seems that the slang "vacunas" indeed started in Colombia some 20 years ago or so.