my $url = URI->new(URL_API . $uri);

    my $header = ['Content-Type' => 'application/json; charset=UTF-8'];

    if ($auth) {
        my $token_string = "Bearer " . $self->_access_token;
        push @$header, 'Authorization' => $token_string;
    }

    my $request = HTTP::Request->new(
        $type,
        $url,
        $header,
        JSON->new->allow_nonref->encode($api_params)
    );

    my $response;

    for (1 .. API_TIMEOUT_RETRIES) {
        # If a timeout (ie. code 500) occurs, repeat the API call

        $response = $self->mech->request($request);

        if ($response->is_success) {
            my $response_data = _decode($response->decoded_content)->{response};

            $self->_cache(
                endpoint => $endpoint_name,
                id       => $id,
                data     => $response_data
            );

            return $response_data;
        }
        elsif ($response->code == 500) {
            next;
        }
    }