Social and historical aspects of Latin American crime - Essay Example

“Speculations upon the social and historical aspects of Latin American crime” Each and every society has always had criminal elements in its structure. Crime is an accessory to any social mechanism and a waste of any, even most perfect government system. The perplexity and multiplicity of various kinds of crime happen because of the effect done to them by social, historical, political and even geographical reasons. In case with Latin American countries some truly preferable and sweet conditions of the environment appear to be especially beneficial for the existence of crime. It can be said without any doubt that most even economically progressive and advanced countries like Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Venezuela have problems. Far poorer countries like Columbia, Ecuador, or Bolivia are countries which are among the poorest in the world and secondary only to African countries and countries of Asia like Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Nevertheless countries that are the main suppliers of cocaine are also the poorest when their GDP compared to Brazil or Argentina. Yet exactly these countries have most shaky economic conditions and because of their political immaturity remain a good prey for manipulations and corruption. It is also difficult for them to exist after the violent and traumatic age of political repressions, totalitarian oppression and colonial tyranny before it. Latin America is really a gallery full to the edge with colorful and bright portraits of different dictators: Augusto Pinochet, Rosas, Chaves are among world most famous tyrants. Such position creates a bright contrast between the highly liberal and democratic system of the USA or even Canada colonized mostly by British and French on one side and Hispanic Latino Americans from the South part of the Continent. Like Spain and Portugal were in past more influenced by the African and Middle Eastern influences of Arab culture it can be said that Southern America felt deeply Eastern violence characterized by terrible dictatorships unknown to European Monarchies. People like Castro, Jimenez or other generals who like Stalin, Mao, Saddam or Kim Jong-il happened to take all the power in their hands because of war and total poverty of people. The poorer country is the easier it is to blackmail it with most simple products of high importance like food, water, simple safety in your own house and peaceful sky. Wars happen when people are so despaired that they can’t take it anymore. Civil Wars and Revolutions bring generals to power and then they coldly oppress people for who they meant to fight for. Even capital city of Brazil has some major social problems. Aren’t its famous slums in the poor districts of Rio De Janeiro which sell cocaine during the day is a highly criminal environment? Gang riots, poverty and truly eastern ruthless masculinity make Mexican Drug Cartels to be feared by even those people who only heard about them. History of Latin America countries deeply damaged not only materially but emotionally and ideologically. That is why coming to America they do everything they can to stay here. SO many refugees can’t surprise one when he knows that these people can’t be sure about their lives and safety of their children in their native countries (Payan, 89). Poorest countries of South America are countries where people have disappeared easily in past without any noise and where people were killed by military and where villages were destroyed by barbaric soldiers. In Columbia there is a second generation of rebels who live in woods, produce and export cocaine, have their own villages and exist in condition of war with official government. And because these people have an army they are to be heard and diplomatic meetings are to be organized with them. Geographical position of South America and its climatic conditions are the best place in whole world to produce cocaine. And because there is a huge need for it among the citizens of US from the middle and upper classes people can’t stop themselves from doing it biting on a sweet bait of huge money. Brazil police forces are famous for their grand scale riots on the creep dives full of thugs and drug cartels. Hispanic communities in US when they are not represented by rarely successive people can be known for gang violence and involvement in drug traffic. Mexican Cartels are also very popular for their merciless and bloody violent approach to business (Frühling & Tulchin, 22). Because criminals usually stick to their own kind they often work only with other Latin Americans. To export cocaine from South America family or city connections with which such risky work becomes more reliable. Street crime environment tightly connected to illegal immigrants because they are often in need of work and therefore seek for easy money (Bunker, 53). Problems of Latin America countries don’t disappear even in highly progressive economic systems of Argentina and Brazil which are not only the biggest but also most successful countries of the whole South America. Many people of all ages see their only opportunity in migration. That is why so many immigrants come to US from South America where they are now an irreplaceable part of the American society. Society of the Latin America, in its turn, slowly develops but this development, unfortunately, appears to be partial. Not all countries move towards prosperity and very poor and immature government of Guatemala, Salvador or Bolivia are yet to do something about their future. However American nation is no longer as unfair to immigrants from Mexico or Columbia like it was before. That is prior to the fact that Arab people of Muslim culture are not an aim to those without tolerance to refuges and citizens of countries who suffer from war or other catastrophes. Works Cited Bunker, R. Criminal Insurgents in Mexico and Latin America: A Small Wars Journal. El Centro Anthology. Denver: iUniverse, 2015. Print Frühling, T., Tulchin, S. Crime and Violence in Latin America: Citizen Security, Democracy, and the State. Boston: Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 2003. Print Payan, T. The Three U.S.-Mexico Border Wars: Drugs, Immigration, and Homeland Security. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Print Read More