Drug Trafficking In Latin America
One of the major issues facing Latin America is the production and distribution of illegal drugs, which include cocaine, marijuana, heroin and more recently methamphetamine. This geographic area is crucial to the illegal drug industry because it is the world’s only source region for coca, which is used to produce cocaine (this is harvested in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia). Also, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean are the main corridors for transporting drugs to the United States and Europe. The United States is the primary consumer of these products, but around 25 to 30 percent of global cocaine production travels from Latin America to Europe, typically via West Africa. The major drug traffickers and trafficking organizations usually take in about a total of $18 to $39 billion dollars on drug wholesales per year.
…show more content…
Some of the countries that are affected by illegal drug distribution include Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
In these countries, murder, corruption and other violent crime rates have been increasing rapidly. In fact, a study by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has found that this area is the most dangerous region in the world, with an overall murder rate of 32.6 per 100,000 of population, compared to less than 6 per 100,000 in the United States. As these countries use resources and funds to fight drug trafficking, this puts a huge strain on their economy. For instance, Mexico, which is in the midst of a huge war on drugs, has a poverty rate of 46 percent. Lastly, weak governments combined with powerful drug cartels create a vicious cycle where the drug traffickers become even more powerful when they take advantage of local governments (either by bribing or using violence), and this in turn makes the government less trusted and thus makes the government even more
weaker.
The impact on Latin America's citizens and government officials has become very alarming and traumatic. In June 2010, only days before the state elections, a leading gubernatorial candidate was assassinated by drug criminals because he campaigned against Mexico's drug-related violence. This angered the criminals, causing them to strike back at the man. One of the worst cases was in August 2010 when the bodies of 72 migrants were found in northern Mexico. They had all been shot for not working in a drug gang. Then days later, a prosecutor and police officer investigating the crime disappeared. There are countless incidents of innocent citizens getting caught in the crossfire between rival gangs as they fight to control a specific region. The increased violence and crime also prevent business growth, thus limiting opportunities for law abiding citizens to prosper. More and more it is apparent that anyone in these Latin American countries that refuses to be corrupted by drug trafficking groups is in great danger.
Some of the countries that are affected by illegal drug distribution include Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
In these countries, murder, corruption and other violent crime rates have been increasing rapidly. In fact, a study by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has found that this area is the most dangerous region in the world, with an overall murder rate of 32.6 per 100,000 of population, compared to less than 6 per 100,000 in the United States. As these countries use resources and funds to fight drug trafficking, this puts a huge strain on their economy. For instance, Mexico, which is in the midst of a huge war on drugs, has a poverty rate of 46 percent. Lastly, weak governments combined with powerful drug cartels create a vicious cycle where the drug traffickers become even more powerful when they take advantage of local governments (either by bribing or using violence), and this in turn makes the government less trusted and thus makes the government even more
weaker.
The impact on Latin America's citizens and government officials has become very alarming and traumatic. In June 2010, only days before the state elections, a leading gubernatorial candidate was assassinated by drug criminals because he campaigned against Mexico's drug-related violence. This angered the criminals, causing them to strike back at the man. One of the worst cases was in August 2010 when the bodies of 72 migrants were found in northern Mexico. They had all been shot for not working in a drug gang. Then days later, a prosecutor and police officer investigating the crime disappeared. There are countless incidents of innocent citizens getting caught in the crossfire between rival gangs as they fight to control a specific region. The increased violence and crime also prevent business growth, thus limiting opportunities for law abiding citizens to prosper. More and more it is apparent that anyone in these Latin American countries that refuses to be corrupted by drug trafficking groups is in great danger.