THE IMPACT OF DRUG TRAFFICKING IN CENTRAL SOUTH

THE IMPACT OF DRUG TRAFFICKING IN CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA By- Shawn Sookdeo

THESIS • Drug trafficking negatively affects Central and South American countries. • How do they affect each country? Socially Ø Economically Ø Politically Ø

WHICH COUNTRIES WILL BE DISCUSSED? Mexico* Colombia Peru Paraguay

SOCIALLY Peru “The Waters Run Red. ” • Cocaine trade actually affects the environment. • Cocaine labs are built near rivers for easy access of water. • Unwanted chemicals are disposed of into the water. (Gatjanis, 1995)

SOCIALLY Mexico • Mexico deals with the most drug-related violence and corruption. • Close proximity to the U. S. border. • Corruption and violence go hand in hand (Morris, 2013) • Fighting over land control and trade routes (Robles, n. d. ). • Corrupt law enforcement (Robles, n. d. ).

ECONOMICALLY Mexico • Stationary bandits vs. Roving Bandits • Economy is decelerating because of these bandits. • 230, 000 have been forced to leave their homes. • • (50% of those people flee to the United States. ) This forces business owners to close down. (Robles, Calderon, and Magaloni, n. d. )

ECONOMICALLY Colombia • Farmers benefit from growing coca leaf (Miranda, 2006). • The first leg of the supply chain is not harmful. • This is just a short term benefit. • In the long run, the Colombian economy suffers. • This is due to repatriation (Garcia, 2003)

ECONOMICALLY Peru • The coca leaf industry helped drive the Peruvian economy. • Coca leaf was the sole source of income for farmers. • This first leg of the supply chain hurt the government. (Peru, n. d. )

POLITICAL Peru • The government tried to substitute coca leaf farming. • Attempt to have U. S. intervention. • The disparity between economic success and political intervention. (Peru, n. d. )

POLITICAL Mexico • Social problems + Economic problems= Political problems (O’neil, 2009). • In “Missing the point on Mexico, ” Rivas looks at the positive steps the Mexican government has taken. • Provides statistical evidence to show Mexico’s growth. • Crack down on police corruption.

POLITICAL Mexico • Jorge Chabat gives a more realistic approach in comparison to Rivas. • The Mexican government has struggled to stop drug trade since the early 1900’s. • Provides evidence of the long history of the governments attempts to seize trade.

POLITICAL Paraguay • Facing the most drug-related political problems in South America. • Between 1954 - 1989 Paraguay was under ruling of strict dictator Stroessner. • He was heavily involved in drug trafficking. • The new government is taking strides to slow the drug trade. • It may take the new government just as long as Stroessner dictated to slow drug trade. (Simon G. , 1992)

CONCLUSION Many of these problems are caused by one another. Social Economic Political In Mexico, drug related violence has increased over the years causing many business owners to close their stores. • This forces people out of jobs and negatively affects the economy. • In Peru, coca leaf production helped stimulate the economy again. • The U. S. government has been trying to work with the Peruvian government to slow the production and distribution of the coca leaf. •

WORKS CITED • Chabat, Jorge. (2002). Mexico’s War on Drugs: No Margin for Maneuver. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 582, 134 -48. Retrieved from http: //www. jstor. org/stable/1049739 • Garcia, Ricardo R. (2003). Drug trafficking and its impact on Colombia: An economic overview. Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies/Revue canadienne des etudes latino-americanes et caraibes, 28(55/56), 277 -304. • Gatjanis, Greg. (1995). The Waters Run Red. United Nations Chronicle, 32(2), 66. • Miranda, Guillermo García. (2006). Combating illicit cultivations in Colombia a shared global responsibility. UN Chronicle, 43(3), 48 -49. Retrieved from http: //web. a. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdfviewer? vid=9&sid=33 c 36582 -6076 -4069 -a 32 e-a 287 c 14 ef 220%40 sessionmgr 4003&hid=4207 • Morris, Stephen D. (2013). Drug trafficking, corruption, and violence in Mexico: mapping the linkages. Trends Organ Crim, 16, 195 -220. DOI 10. 1007/s 12117 -013 -9191 -7 • http: //eds. a. ebscohost. com/eds/pdfviewer? vid=17&sid=88 b 00 c 74 -fb 4 e-4 ae 7 -b 524 -a 05 f 64990593%40 sessionmgr 4005&hid=4208 • O’neil, Shannon. (2009). The real war in Mexico. Foreign Affairs, 88(4), 63 -77. Retrieved from Peru, the drug business and shining path: Between Scylla and Charybdis. Journal of Interamerican Studies & World Affairs, 34(3), 65. • Rivas, David N. (1999). Missing the point on Mexico. Foreign Affairs, 78, 157 -58. • Robles, G. , Calderon, G. , and Magaloni, B. (n. d. ). The economic consequences of drug trafficking violence in Mexico. Poverty and Governance, Stanford University. Retrieved from http: //fsi. stanford. edu/sites/default/files/Robles. Calderon. Magaloni_Econ. Costs 5. pdf • Simon G. , Jose Luis. (1992). Drug addiction and trafficking in Paraguay: An approach to the problem during the transition. Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, 34, 155 -220. Retrieved from http: //www. jstor. org/stable/165927