Longing for Dignity, Campesinos Stuck in Latin America Drug War teleSUR | |
go to original April 18, 2017 |
"I only give life to campesinos, I am not a drug" (teleSUR)
Faced with few other viable alternatives for growing profitable legal crops, many campesinos have relied on growing marijuana, coca and opium poppies to help them survive, but are subjected the rules of the state and organized crime groups.
Crops that have traditionally been used for centuries throughout Latin America have become increasingly criminalized. Programs to destroy and replace these crops with legal ones still fail to address some of the fundamental challenges faced by those living in rural communities, while years of free trade agreements that have undermined the viability of local farming by flooding national markets with cheap subsidized imports.
For many campesino communities, economic opportunities are scarce, and growing and selling illegal crops can be much more profitable and reliable than other alternatives.
To add to this, disadvantaged rural communities often lack access to basic infrastructure, making it difficult for campesinos to transport crops to market, all for a tiny profit. Given what seems a never ending thirst for illicit drugs on the international market, particularly for customers in Europe and North America, the illegal market is not only more lucrative, but has a stable demand of willing buyers.
Across Latin America, there are numerous stories of organized crime and paramilitary groups entering into isolated rural communities and going on to have a Robin Hood-like relationship with locals. With a lack of infrastructure and opportunities — including basic services, quality roads, access to credit and other bases for dignified lives and livelihoods — criminal organizations can swoop into to fill critical gaps left by the government, roping campesinos into illicit activities by providing basics such as housing and roads, as well as an income source for growing illegal crops.
But for many campesino groups, the relationship they have will organized crime groups can vary greatly depending on the approach of the cartel in question. Often relationships with campesino communities is built on fear, exploitation and force.
Read the rest at teleSUR
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