Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Latin America

Today in class we researched for our Latin American paper.
here are my notes:

- "The impact of drug abuse and drug-related violence in U.S. communities is devastating. Government estimates put the total cost at more than US$110 billion a year. Drug production and trafficking are also a serious threat to Latin American countries, eroding governments and institutions through corruption, fueling political violence and common crime, and distorting local economies."
- Colombia has been in civil conflict for 40 years
- Political violence is an effect of drug trafficking
- The U.S. has interest in Colombia, economic interest
- Many Americans have different ideas to stop the Drug trafficking in America
- Drugs are coming into America
- This could create a war which is debated on if that is the best method to stop the drugs coming in
- For many years the coca plant has provided income for the peasants in the Andean countries- governments need to work on alternatives to the drug trafficking.
- The U.S. is paying the Peruvian airforce to look for drug trafficking planes and to let the U.S know of any
- Millions of dollars are going to the Latin American drug problem.
- The United States is the world's leading consumer of illicit drugs
- Trafficking in Colombia is causing political violence, common crime, government corruption, distorting local economies
- 20 politically killings in one day in Colombia
- Only peace within Colombia can help solve the drug problem
- Colombian President Andres Pastrana has agreed to seek a peaceful solution to the problem
- He has met with representatives of the large and well-trained anti-government guerrilla organization, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, usually called FARC) and created a demilitarized zone for peace negotiations in southern Colombia. To date, FARC guerrillas have not taken advantage of this opening by moving forward on peace talks. It is clear that the peace process will be long and arduous.
- Possible solution- the use of herbicides to eradicate coca and poppy crops

Citation:
Amatangelo, Gina. "The Expanded U.S. Drug War in Latin America: A Downed Missionary Plane Places the Spotlight on the Andean Initiative." History Behind the Headlines: The Origins of Conflicts Worldwide. Ed. Sonia G. Benson. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. John Carrol School. 1 Dec. 2009 .

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