Drug trafficking in Latin America

(Excerpt publication "Military Force to new non-traditional threats to hemispheric security: Drug trafficking?). Researchers: TNIM. Olga Rodriguez-Alejandro Aldana Liliana Rojas. Santo Tomas University-Colombia 2007. Since the nineties, drug trafficking became a topic of high interest in political and social spheres of the countries of Latin America. For a long time, the illegal drug problem was only addressed by experts health and some state agencies dedicated to fighting organized crime. But today the situation has changed, now the drug is seen as a serious threat to national security apart from the criminal field, because the drug affects all political, economic, social and cultural rights of any state. To achieve its objectives (ie, achieve the highest possible economic gains) drug trafficking needs to end with any legal, social and moral development of countries where it operates and reproduces; using different methods of deterrence from extortion / corruption to violence . The drug has therefore contributed substantially to the increase of crime in Latin America. In most countries the crime rate rose four or six times in the nineties, making these the most insecure countries in the world. An example of this situation were the events in Brazil in the month of May 2006 the state of Sao Paulo where they performed for 5 days, attacks against security forces, prison riots and hostage-taking, leaving 272 dead including 92 policemen.

These acts of violence were carried out by one of the most important criminal groups in the region: the Primeiro Commando da Capital (PCC), also called the "Party of Crime?, With a social base of half a million people engaged in narcotics trade and illicit arms trafficking profiting about $ 300,000 weekly.

The situation is no different in the Caribbean and Central America, some countries have become strategic areas for drug trafficking and protection for criminal organizations engaged in prostitution, smuggling, counterfeiting, diversion of goods and other activities taking advantage of the lack or lack of control by the authorities. This situation is aggravated by the presence of the "maras?, (Youth crime groups emanating its name from the" crowds?, A plague of ants that destroys everything in its path) that can be composed between 70,000 and 100,000 members dedicated to the smuggling of weapons and drugs. In December 2004, members of the "Mara Salvatrucha? or MS-13 opened fire on a public bus in the city of Chamalecón (Honduras), killing 28 passengers, wanting to send a message to this action the national government to end the offensive against its members. The reaction of the countries affected by these organizations has been through the use of force through programs such as "The Broom? in Guatemala, "Mano Dura? in El Salvador and "Freedom Blue? in Honduras. The repressive policy through the use of military force and police by various governments has left aside the preventive and social inclusion, making prisons as recruiting grounds of the "maras? as battlefields, for example in El Salvador killed daily between 2 and 3 gang members in disputes over territorial control.

In a prison in El Salvador in 2004 were burned about 100 members of MS-13. In Mexico, the situation is very worrying, because different drug cartels have become a parallel power in all sectors of the country. Cities like Tijuana (Poster based Arellano Felix), recorded in 2006 more than 500 murders linked to other drug cartels especially with the fugitive drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo? Guzman, head of the Sinaloa Cartel. As the violence between the cartels, political and economic leaders of the State of Baja California, asked President Felipe Calderon to extend to the city of Tijuana drug the military operation, which came into force in December 2006 in the State of Michoacán . However, the former attorney for Human Rights of the State of Baja California Raul Ramirez expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the operation to eradicate violence and drug trafficking in the region and identify their concerns about the performance of the Army in matters pertaining to Police, which can result in arbitrary detention and other violations of fundamental rights. Despite criticism, President Calderon's visit to Michoacan, urged the armed forces continue to fight both drug traffickers and other criminals, promising to use all the force of the state to this, President Calderón unify under a single command Federal Forces in charge of this mission, in order to avoid that Mexico remains hostage to organized crime.



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