Universitt Konstanz Fachbereich Politik- und Verwaltungswissenschaften Summer Semester 11 Dr.

Brigitte Weiffen Seminar: Lateinamerika in der internationalen Politik Jesus.Hernandez-Cortes@uni-konstanz.de Essay I Question: Which are the security threats and risks in Latin-America?

Index Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Security levels---------------------------------------------------------------- 3-5 Analysis of Mexico---------------------------------------------------------- 5 Analysis of Central America---------------------------------------------- 6 Analysis of Sud-America-------------------------------------------------- 6-8 Venezuela------------------------------------------------------------7 Colombia--------------------------------------------------------------7-8 Brazil-------------------------------------------------------------------8

Conclusion--------------------------------------------------------------------8 Possible Solutions---------------------------------------------------------- 8-9 References--------------------------------------------------------------------10-11

INTRODUCTION It is generally understood that the American continent has a lot of problems. These problems are not only in economy and employment, which leads to increased poverty and thus lowers the quality of life for the citizens, but also in the security range, corruption and border conflicts among the different countries throughout the continent, and in some cases within a country. The purpose of this essay is to focus on analyzing the issues surrounding security in Latin America which, due to the heterogeneity and the unique circumstances of each country must be done separately. First, I would like to mention how security problems could be classified and then in all the cases a brief explanation of what is happening in Mxico, Central America, and South America. Finally, I would suggest, possible solutions to these issues. The analysis should be made with exception of the United States and Canada, with the understanding that they do not belong to Latin America, but North America. However, it should be noted that United States foreign policy is crucial to the rest of the continent. Mexico is technically part of North America, due to its location, but considering the problems faced by the country more closely resemble those of its southern neighbors, it is clear that it should be considered Latin American for the purposes of this analysis. Mares classifies as well the security problems in three levels: The International conflicts are the ones which happen between the rest of the world and the Latin American zone. (i.e. The Mexican-French conflict because of the French kidnapper who, according to the local authorities must remain in Mexico for criminal processing.) (informador.com.mx-2011)

The second level or regional conflicts happen when countries of the same zone are hostile towards each other.(i.e. the border dispute between Guatemala and Belize) (p.21, Dominguez 1998) The domestic level presents security conflicts within the country. (i.e. Cuban revolution) Moreover, in order to make a better analysis, in a parallel way, Collier suggests security issues can be divided into three categories: National security, citizen security and public security. (p.15, Colliers 2006) National security responds to a threat to the whole country using military intervention. (i.e. Peacekeeping) With regards to citizen security, the main targets of protection are the individual citizens. (p.14, Colliers 2006) (i.e. Robbery) Public security is the mid-point between citizen and national securities. Typically threats can be solved with the application of the law, but in some extreme cases, requires military intervention. (i.e. Drug trafficking) The conflicts among Latin-American countries at the national security level are not as bad as in the past, but still are concerns that threats may arise, as Diamint tells us: Though Latin America is considered one of the regions in the world with the lowest degree of interstate conflict, old geopolitical tensions persist, and domestic authorities often look at their neighbors as if they were potential enemies, demonstrating a traditional realist approach. (p. 44, Diamint 2004) The promotion of peace and improving of relationships between these countries is supported by Aravena: The region is defined itself such as a peace zone, a non-proliferative zone, and a zone without nuclear weapons, strategic missile, and biological-chemical weapons. In addition to this data, Latin America and the Caribbean are the areas with the lowest military budget in the whole world. (p. 209, Aravena 2005)

However, at the same time, Diamint mentions that there are other issues, such as drug trafficking, organized crime, terrorism, emigration and above all, poverty. (p.47, Diamint 2004) These issues cannot be excluded when looking at the future of the continent, and with these issues in mind, we change focus to public and citizen securities. After this prelude, the main security problems of each country will be analyzed. MEXICO Presently incidences of violent crime in this country are extremely common. The drug-trafficking regime has developed beyond the regulatory capacities of the government and the military. According, to the newspaper ABC internacional , 2010 saw 15,273 deaths because of drug-related violence. The same article compared this figure with that of the previous year. In 2009 there were only 7, 700 deaths. Since the Mexican president, Felipe Calderon, assumed his charge in 2006, there have been more than 30,000 deaths. (ABC internacional-2011) Prevalent also is violence against women, particularly in the north of the country (Chihuahua, Ciudad Juarez) near the Mexican-American border, called feminicidio1, this has been a problem since PRI2 (Partido Revolucionario

Institucional) times but there is not yet an obvious solution. It could be said that because of widespread corruption, the population no longer trusts the authorities and in many cases, they may collude with the dealers and burglars, or be criminals themselves.

1 2

Spanish word used in order to mention that a female has been killed. The political party which governed Mexico after the revolution (1929-2000) before to the transition to democracy.

CENTRAL AMERICA Here three main issues are identified The demobilization of the armed forces left many former soldier and guerrillas groups fully equipped contributing to an illegal arms traffic. ( p.11, Dominguez 1998) Because of that, there has been a continuously feeling of insecurity among the population. The drug trafficking and corruption among the leaders (Such as the Mexican case) is another issue. The other problem is the emergence of gangs. For the last 20 years in countries like Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, there has been a group formed mostly of young people, called Maras. These groups, as Estrada says, have taken the violence as the only choice to overcome, poverty, exclusion and marginalization. (p.13, Estrada 2008) The lack of good educational opportunities and mass emigration, especially to the United States, are the main reasons. Moreover, the countries from central and South America are not interconnected and there is not cooperation among them (p.18, Dominguez 1998), in that way it will be more difficult to solve the problems that are presented above. SOUTH AMERICA Throughout the whole of American colonial history, after the independence of the European colonies and the settlement as sovereign states, many wars took place.

Such as Mares indicates, since 1825 there have been conflicts, the first one was between Argentina and Brazil3. But mostly, there were hostilities from 1980 to 19984, including a war between Ecuador and Peru in 1995. The main reason for this conflict was a border dispute. Nowadays, these areas are relatively inactive or they seem to be under control. (p. 212, Aravena 2005) Furthermore, the different pacts that have signed Argentina, Brazil and Chile5 are good examples that these countries are no longer considered each other such as a threat. At present however, urban violence, not military conflict is the leading cause of violent deaths. This region has a rate of 25.10 homicides per 100 thousand inhabitants, which is higher than any other area in the world . (p. 214, Aravena 2005) In Venezuela, the internal crisis has caused a lot of conflicts; there is a lot of instability among the population, and attempts of a coup against President Chavez have brought this country to the brink of civil war, as is the case presented in 2002. (p. 51, Mares 2005) According to the newspaper Peru.21, since 1998, when Chavez assumed the presidency, the violent death rate increased from 4550 to 17,600 victims in 2010. (Peru.21 online-2011). Meanwhile, in Colombia, historically known for drug trafficking, guerrilla warfare and insecurity created by self-defense groups, has not yet cleansed itself of these issues, although the overhaul of the educational system is a step in the right direction.

For further information the table is available on page 32 of the second chapter on Mares book The table can be found on second chapter of Maresbook 5 Check for further information Flemescapitel
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The term Colombianization that Escalante proposes in his article 6, describes the introduction into other Latin-American nations problems typically associated with Colombia: Rapes, murders, assaults, Carteles de droga (Drug distribution) and kidnapping, among others. Finally, in Brazil, we have the Quadrilhas, groups of young people that intimidate the citizenry, and who are associated with the drug trade, in a similar fashion to their Central American counterparts. (p. 14, Estrada 2008) CONCLUSION The problems of these aforementioned countries have a common thread: a lack of a positive and supportive education system in order for citizens to better develop themselves, a lack of employment, impunity and corruption among the regimes. Furthermore, the absence of a complex security system among the whole continent has contributed to increase this violent wave, when it should be on the other way around. These factors combined have crippled the region. As possible solutions I would suggest these radical changes in the following aspects: Reforms in education need to be applied, focusing more on the analysis of the causes and not just memorize the contents, to create a culture of constructive criticism in individuals. The point mentioned before could help to prevent the corruption, starting from the personal level, because sometimes it is the same people who try to bribe the authorities in order of avoiding their punishment.

Magazine Nueva sociedad march-april 2009 p 84

Finally, the improvement of the local police equipment because compared to criminal organizations, they are not able to fight, besides the salary increase, which is very little, to avoid as much as possible the problem of bribery. We all know that from one day to another is impossible to change this awful situation, but as a continent, America must stay together, such as Europe has, at one moment of the history. Only then may positive change occur.

SOURCES/REFERENCES Aravena, F.R. 2005: Panorama de la seguridad en la Amrica del sur in: K. Bodemer/F.R. Aravena (eds): La seguridad en las Amricas, Nuevos y viejos desafos, Madrid: Iberoamericana, p. 205-226 Collier, Michael W. 2006: "The Hemispheric Security Agenda." Hemisphere 16, 14-17. Diamint, Rut 2004: "Security Challenges in Latin America." Bulletin of Latin American Research 23 (1), 43-62. Dominguez, Jorge I. 1998: Security, Peace and Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges for the Post-Cold War Era in: Jorge I. Dominguez (ed.): International Security and Democracy: Latin America and the Caribbean in the Post-Cold War Era, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, p. 3-28 Estrada, Brenda Christine. 2008: Youth gangs in Central America: A comparative analysis of Las Maras in Honduras and Nicaragua, Canada: Saint Mary's University, under: http://0search.proquest.com.millenium.itesm.mx/docview/848933220/fulltextPDF/1 2F3B0F41F87FB3C422/1?accountid=11643 Retrieved on: May 8, 2011 Flemes, D. 2005: Seguridad cooperativa en el Sur de Amrica Latina. Una propuesta teorica in: K. Bodemer/F.R. Aravena (eds): La seguridad en las Amricas, Nuevos y viejos desafos, Madrid: Iberoamericana, p. 145-166 Gonzalbo, F.E (2009), Puede Mxico ser Colombia? Violencia, narcotrfico y Estado in Nueva Sociedad N 220, Marzo-Abril, p. 84-96 Mares, David R. 2001: Violent Peace. Militarized Interstate Bargaining in Latin America. New York: Columbia University Press, 28-51 (chapter 2). Mares, D.R. 2005: Desafos a la seguridad hemisfrica en el siglo XXI: contribuciones internacionales in: K. Bodemer/F.R. Aravena (eds): La seguridad en las Amricas, Nuevos y viejos desafos, Madrid: Iberoamericana, p. 49-56 o. Verf. (2011). Crispadas las relaciones con Mxico: Francia, under: http://www.informador.com.mx/mexico/2011/270957/6/crispadas-lasrelaciones-con-mexico-francia.htm, 14 february 2011. Retrieved on: May 7, 2011

o. Verf. (2011). El narcotrfico en Mxico deja la cifra rcord de 15.273 asesinatos durante el ao 2010, under: http://www.abc.es/20110113/internacional/rc-narcotrafico-mexico-deja-cifra201101122356.html , 13 january 2011. Retrieved on: May 7, 2011 o. Verf. (2011). Violencia y crimen reinan en Venezuela, under: http://peru21.pe/noticia/754152/violencia-crimen-reinan-venezuela , 8 may 2011. Retrieved on: May 8, 2011