Foreign adoption started during the civil war. Originally this was a humanitarian activity but it became obvious that it had the potential for being a lucrative business. And then there is the higher demand in the West, where you have more birth control, more access to abortion - and so you have the problem of a huge demand and a supply must be created. A market has been created and because demand is so high and so much money can be made from a private adoption, some women are being paid, or even forced, to give up their babies. Very few people wanted to speak to us or go on the record.
Adoption is an emotive issue everywhere, but here people are especially sensitve.
Only two lawyers out of a long list agreed to talk to me. The second lawyer, Mario Roberto Rios Castillo, told me of some specific cases. I have heard of birth mothers being paid, even though this is illegal. And here's another story. A woman once came to me offering me her baby and demanding money.