Question One: Drug Trafficking
Latin America has been for a long time a geographical hub for drug production and trafficking. Bolivia, Columbia and Peru are the major producers whereas countries such as Mexico, Caribbean and a large part of Central America provide the routes and avenues for the illegal transportation of drugs to Europe and North American Countries. In most parts of the world, submarines are highly sophisticated military artillery available only to the armed forces. Columbia happens to be an exception of this normalcy. Drug cartels have embraced the new advancement in military technology to transport drugs. The Columbian Navy captured a 1.32 million pounds drug submarine as recent as February 2011. This is a good illustration of proliferation of drugs in the region. Uruguay, a South American country, went further to become the first country in the world to legalize marijuana. Drug use and trafficking has had a profound impact in the economic, social and political systems in Latin America. This paper shall examine some of the economic, social and political effects of drug trafficking in Latin America.
Drug trafficking has penetrated political systems of most Caribbean countries. Most Latin American countries are signatories to International Conventions on narcotics, but very little is done to stop the thriving drug enterprise in the region. Bolivia formed the largest coca culture economy in the world. Natural gas, the only legal export in Bolivia failed and the country resulted to cocaine exports. In the 1970s and 1980s drug traffickers and producers collaborated with the government officials thus creating a suitable climate for the drug industry to thrive. President Louis G. Meza established the world first Narco government in Bolivia. The government was supported by individuals with the sole purpose of making cocaine the country’s major export. Fortunately it was overthrown 14 months later and replaced by a democratically elected government.
Drug dealers earn extraneous sums of money from selling drugs to their addicted clients. The generated funds are used by drug lords to ensure their survival in the Latin American. Drug lords fund political parties during general elections. When the government is formed they demand certain key government positions or mistrial positions as well. Holders of these positions of authority cover the activities of drug cartels. Government that is run by drug lords is unable to enforce the rule of law. Rulers resort to arrogance of power or political despotism. Drug lords may also establish their own political parties and individuals run for political offices. The resulting government becomes a toothless dog in dealing with the menace of drug trafficking.
Governments have taken a passive approach in dealing with drugs. In 1996 Columbia attempted to ban opium poppy and large scale planting of coca plant. Drug cartels reacted furiously by mobilizing over 100000 people to participate in demonstrations. The demonstrations degenerated into anti-government shenanigans. Governments are forced to adopt passive approaches in dealing with drug trafficking over political unrest.
Drug trafficking has affected how states interact and how their diplomats act in the international arena. Diplomats from countries that support drug trafficking are treated with disapproval by the international community. Time Magazine of April 1949 reported of the arrest of the then Cuban diplomat trafficking cocaine in his diplomatic pouch. What followed was an uproar from the international community and increased efforts to counter drug trafficking were noted.
The United Nations had begun its campaign against drug trafficking as early as 1920. US led a drive to illegalize cocaine, but the League of Nations and cocaine producers such as Peru resisted the efforts. United Nations did not falter in its role to stop drug trafficking. Three treaties have been signed to control errant countries that deal in drugs: Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1979 and United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
Latin American nations ratified the aforementioned treaties with reservations. The reactions of South American countries appeared to counter the international efforts against drug trafficking. Bolivia expressed reservations on Article 3 paragraph 2 of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs claiming that it would make the entire population of Bolivia criminals. Bolivia further argued that Bolivia’s legal system recognized the ancestral nature of coca plant. It also stated that coca leaf is not a narcotic drug or a psychotropic substance. Brazil failed to ratify the Convention because there was a ratification procedure in the Brazilian constitution. Columbia expressed reservations claiming that its legislation does not permit the judiciary to cooperate in investigating such offences or working in joint team of countries to that specific end. Peru expressed reservations concerning the sanctions contained in Article 3 of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961.
Latin American countries as a result of the billions generated by the drug industry, have neglected the other sectors of the economy. Bolivia abandoned its only legal export, natural gas, and resulted to export of cocaine. Consequently, Latin American countries have become dens of drug cartels that terrorize the entire region.
Social interactions among individuals fall within the frontiers of drug trafficking, growing or consumption. Majority of the people in Latin America get their employment in the drug industry. They are employed either in growing, cooking, stomping, smoking or drug trafficking. The greatest source of income is dealing in illegal drugs. People get an opportunity to raise families and invest. More successful drug dealers run for political offices or are appointed in the government. In these societies patterns of honor are distributed along drug dealing lines.
Illicit drug use is more prevalent among men than in women. Lately there has been an increase in drug consumption among women. The married take more drugs compared to the single. People across all age groups have been noted to take drugs, with the highest consumers being those between 15 and 35 years of age. Illegal drug trafficking has affected the social output of the society. Consumption of illegal drugs limits chances of entering the workforce of the country. Jobs that require adept precision, high level of judgment and evaluation skills are not available to drug consumers because of their inability to perform. Drugs are largely to blame for poor academic performance among students who abuse drugs. Students who take drugs suffer from poor memory and decreased span of concentration. Consequently, they register low scores in exams.
Drug consumers are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS transmission as a result of sharing syringes and other piercing instruments to administer drugs. Reuse of needles makes the addicts come into contact with fresh blood increasing the chances of HIV transmission. Deaths resulting from HIV/AIDS deplete the countries’ labor force.
In 1980s Bolivia had approximately 200,000 coca farmers with over half a million people employed in the industry. Drop of staple food, consequently, dropped significantly as farmers abandoned crops such as corn, rice and potatoes, for financially viable coca plant. The effects of consuming illegal drugs did not spare Latin American users either. Many people have reported to suffer from lung cancer and other related infections. Unlike the rural urban migration witnessed in developing countries, young people in Latin America move from their homes to production sites in search of coca paste.
Drug-related corruption infiltrated Latin American governments and business elites. Drug Cartels have penetrated the police, army, executive branches, and judiciaries. Violence meted out by drug cartels and inefficient law enforcement agencies have impacted Central American economies negatively. The World Bank reported that Central American Governments spent around 8% of its GDP dealing with drug related violence. Violence meted out by drug cartels have made majority of people to live in fear and suspicion. The region has the highest murder rates in the world. Influx of external drug peddlers, coupled with high levels of corruption makes the area an inappropriate place to live in or raise a family.
Drug cartels have compromised law enforcement systems in Latin American countries. Drug cartels mete out deadly trails of violence against each other or the civilians. It is threatening to spill over to North American countries such as United States of America. USA has declared Mexican drug cartels as the greatest threat of organized crime to American citizens. In a span of six years, 47000 people have been killed in relation to drug related violence. In 2012, the United Nations anti- narcotic panel announced in its annual report that violence from drug related crimes had reached an alarming rate.
Drug organizations have increased their activities in Latin America causing a security threat to the region. El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica and Honduras have the highest homicide rates according to International Narcotics and Control Board. Availability of firearms and other offensive weapons have largely contributed to increase in violence in the region. Pan American Health Organization refereed to the violence in Latin America as a social pandemic of the 21st century.
Drug cartels are responsible for most of the violence in Latin America. Warring cartels, in a bid to eliminate each other out of the market, kill each other both in the cities of Central America and the rural areas. The corrupt governments of Central America have failed to eliminate firearms possession among the citizenry in the region. Availability of firearms makes the security situation vulnerable. These weapons are used to solve disputes in the street as the citizens have lost faith in the justice systems.
Wealthy individuals have opted to provide their own personal security as opposed to relying on the security provided by law enforcement agencies. The World Bank reported that a person loses his or her life in every ten minutes in Columbia. Amnesty International also reported that Latin America is the most dangerous place on earth for a journalist to work. These are just illustrations of how corrupt, undemocratic and irresponsible are the governments of Central American countries. In addition, it points to the amoral drug cartels and how they have failed innocent civilians.
In conclusion, the drug related problem is a concern of the entire human race. The social, economic and political effects of drug trafficking has stagnated development and social progress. The United Nations and similar organizations should come together and help put out the fire of drug trafficking in Central American countries before the blaze consumes the entire human race. Countries that deal in drugs or support drug cartels should not be spared from sanctions. Governments that support drug use and trafficking should be voted out and the rule of law should be firmly entrenched in Latin American countries.
Works Cited
Skidmore, Thomas, Peter Smith and James Green. Modern Latin America. Cambridge: Oxford University Press, 2010.
