War on Drugs in Guatemala

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War on Drugs in Guatemala Oriana Peñaranda Introduction to International Relations 1011 Dr. Charles MacDonald March 23, 2012 The Central American country of Guatemala has experienced the traumatic effects of drug trafficking for about 30 years now and is desperately trying to find solutions to resolve this problem. Drug cartels have taken over large swathes of Guatemala and other Central American countries, fueling some of the highest murder rates in the world. Drug trafficking is a major issue because it threatens the stability, prosperity and peace of the country. The issue of illegal drug trafficking and the violence that comes with it is nothing new to Guatemala. Why does Guatemala suffer from the immense amount of drug trafficking? Many factors play into this. First, Guatemala shares 590 miles of border with Mexico, most of which is remote. This causes the mayor drug trafficking in Mexico such as the Gulf Cartel to spill over in Guatemala. Guatemala also has limited resources and assistance to combat trafficking compared to other countries such as Mexico and Colombia who also experience mayor drug trafficking problems. Guatemala has the misfortune of have near-total impunity (estimated to be 98 percent) and an ineffective criminal system along with a corrupt police force. It is believed that in Guatemala there are 13 organizations trafficking drugs. The two main cartels are The Zetas and the Sinaloa Cartel. The Zetas traffic cocaine, marijuana and heroin to the U.S. They are considered to be the most technologically advanced, sophisticated, and violent cartel. On the other hand the Sinaloa Cartel smuggles cocaine from Colombia into Guatemala. They are associated with the Herrera organization: an organization that operates in Guatemala to bring cocaine to the U.S. The issue of drug trafficking has become a national problem, affecting the whole
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