Plan Colombia Case Study

To over simplify Plan Colombia, the objective was to bring order to a disorderly country. Colombia’s national objective with Plan Colombia was to “ensure order, stability, and the rule of law; guarantee sovereignty over national territory; protect the State and the civilian population from the threats posed by illegal armed groups and criminal organizations; break links between the illegal armed groups and the criminal drug industry that supports them”. Through regaining control and order within Colombia, Plan Colombia aim was to reduce 50% of the nations distribution of narcotics. The elements of Plan Colombia can be split into two different groups. The first group being economic and political development with the power of the Colombian
Beginning by addressing the flaws of the three methods of combatting the supply of drugs mentioned in the previous paragraph, that being substitution, eradication, and interdiction. Regarding substitution, many farmers were unwilling to end their growth of the coca bush. The benefits of growing the coca bush outweighed the benefits of growing any other crop. The coca bush was an easy crop to grow, with relatively low maintenance. Alone side the low maintenance of the coca bush was that it would be harvested multiple times throughout its season. The coca leaves themselves are easy to store. There was money to be made with the growth of coca bushes, that money being United States dollars. The second method of eradication also faced difficulties with its war on drugs. With the funding and training of the Colombian Armed Forces and the National Police, there was a reduce in the cultivation of coca plants. Although there was a reduction in the cultivation of the coca plant, “it was ineffective in reducing cocaine production”. The areas in which the coca leaves were being processed were constantly being moved. When a coca processing site would be found and destroyed by the Colombian Armed Forces or the National Police, another processing site would simply be created. There was no ceasing the production of cocaine. The last method of interdiction also was a failure in the combat against the supply of drugs. The illegal drug business has the power and wealth to created corrupting, aiding in both the flow of drugs and money. Having the power to influence people within positions of power resulted in the failure of the interdiction tactic. In the research paper “Plan Colombia: Illegal Drugs, Economic Development and Counterinsurgency – A political Economy Analysis of Colombia’s Failed War” Tobias Franz utilizes are range of