The Colombian Drug Issue~

Colombia is known worldwide as the nation with one of the heaviest narcotic problems. This dilemma initially developed in response to Mexico’s efforts to shut down their own narcotic issues in 1975.  When this happened, many turned to Colombia as a drug provider, and Colombia soon began to supply nearly all of the marijuana shipped to U.S.. After the marijuana market had been firmly established, drug dealers began to sell to a newer, more profitable market--cocaine. Colombian groups, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, use the profits that they accumulate through drug trafficking to finance their organizations.  Organizations like these are responsible not only for the majority of the drug trafficking that takes place in Central and South America, but also for many of the kidnappings, murders and governmental instability that plague these countries.

While Colombian drug trafficking is recognized as a worldwide issue, there is little that the government can do to stop it. Ever since 1980, the Colombian government has attempted to halt it’s drug traffickers, however, the lack of stability the government attains has caused little progress to be made in this area. By the 1990’s, the push for the government to exert control over the Colombian drug cartels had all but diminished as political struggles began to increase. At this point in time, the ‘Left wing’ political guerrillas and the ‘right wing’ political paramilitary organizations had battered down the government’s little stability so badly, that the left-winged guerrillas had gained control over nearly 50% of the country.

As a result of the weak government and the drug cartels that are now able to run rampant (due the the government's weakness), Columbia has become a place of great poverty.  The U.S. has recently activated ‘Plan Colombia’, which supplies millions of dollars in fundings and military aid, in the hopes of shutting down the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.  The U.S. has also funded for a certain amount of herbicides that prevent the growth of drugs, to be sprayed throughout the Colombian jungle . However, even this has led to issues as the crops that poor farm families rely on are now dying.

It is easy to see how the Colombian drug cartels have affected the nation of Colombia in astronomically negative ways. The networks of these drug traffickers have gotten so huge, that shitting them done will now be nearly impossible.  As border security between nations begins to tighten in an effort to prevent drug smuggling, the demand for those drugs will heighten.  If the trend that has taken place in Colombia for the past forty years continues, violence, kidnappings, murders and a general unsafety for all will in correlation, also begin to rise.