South American Drug Crisis

The South American Drug Crisis is a severe drug and crime epidemic currently plaguing all of South America. The crisis is widely known for the large amount of damage that it has caused to various nations in South America. There are currently 8 major cartels operating in South America: New Medellin Cartel, Bolivar Group, East Amazon Group, Rio Grande Cartel, Sao Paulo Cartel, Riberalta Cartel and Paraguay Cartel.

## Background

The South American Drug Crisis developed slowly over time when many throughout South America observed the large amounts of wealth consolidated by drug dealers in Colombia and Central America. Pablo Escobar became an idol of sorts for many impoverished or ambitious but morally ambiguous people throughout South America. The rise of New Medellin Cartel after the consolidation of various drug cartels in Colombia created an unstoppable force that authorities in Colombia and the border regions of Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela struggled to effectively deal with. The success of this cartel spawned multiple more cartels over the the 1990s, although by 2002 most had consolidated or had been annexed into 8 key cartels.

The cartels such as Sao Paulo Cartel have incredible amounts of influence on governments. For example, the Governor of Ceara is strongly believed to have relied on millions of dollars in aid from Rio Grande Cartel.

## Effects

Corruption in South America is incredibly severe, with many key politicians having very close ties to cartels. Police forces are often incapable of dealing with cartels due to a mixture of political intervention, cartel members being better armed and equipped, and in many cases due to police forces being effectively owned by cartels. Many cartels possess weapons that often exceed those operated by various South American military forces. Cartels also generally refuse to recognise each others' territories, with many cities becoming battlegrounds for control, with Manaus and Santarem being seen as the best examples of this. As a result of how poorly the situation is being handled, many in Brazil in particular are now supporting a return to military rule, with the military now being seen as the only organ of Brazil that has been relatively unharmed by the drug crisis. Some cartels are believed to have legitimate connections to governments as well, particularly Bolivar Group and Paraguay Cartel.

Crime has skyrocketed throughout South America. Many liken the streets of various stronghold cities such as Manaus to warzones. Manaus is believed to have the highest homicide rate of all cities around the world, at approximately 405 homicides per 100,000 citizens. The crime and drug wave has effectively created a refugee crisis of sorts, with many South Americans abandoning rural or poorer areas and fleeing to the cities to escape the crime and drugs. Those who do not leave in time often become a part of the system or fall victim to it. Many nations have seen their life expectancy crash as a result of the crime and drugs. For instance, Brazil's life expectancy is estimated at about 66 years, while Colombia has seen its own fall to roughly 69 years. These nations have also seen their economy suffer greatly, with Paraguay's GDP experiencing possibly the most damage, possessing a GDP of only 3 billion USD. Some countries are also recruiting large numbers of South Americans as a result of the crisis. Japan has begun targeting Japanese-South Americans specifically, promising a better life in Japan, further affecting the economies of many nations who are now seeing their educated move to more stable nations.

Socioeconomic issues have been seen as the main catalyst for the crisis. Many impoverished South Americans saw the cartels as a way to gain money and make their fortune. Cartel activity was also greatly boosted by the large expanse of jungle throughout South America, providing large areas of cover for cartels to create drugs and organize themselves with ease. Many poor South Americans have also been enticed by the low cost of drugs, seeing them as an easy way to distract themselves from their own poverty. Schoolteachers have reportedly begun teaching children to sniff glue instead of cocaine, with the former now being seen as a less harmful form of crippling substance addiction. International aid has also struggled to reach out as well, with many citing the unfortunate case of William Stevenson, an Australian activist who sought to reduce childhood drug addiction by creating a Peruvian version of Healthy Harold called *Sana Ilama (*eng. Healthy Ilama), only to be kidnapped from his hotel room in Cusco and be discovered beheaded, disemboweled and castrated on the side of a highway outside of Cusco.

It should be noted that while most of South America is struggling due to the crisis, some nations have benefitted greatly. Many Western countries are seeing an influx of educated workers migrating for a better future from South America. Uruguay, Argentina and Chile, while mildly affected by the drug crisis, have also seen an influx of migrants seeking a safer future.