Reason.tv: The Drug War in Guatemala - A Conversation with Giancarlo Ibarguen

"I blame the war on drugs in the United States for what is happening here in Guatemala."

--Giancarlo Ibarguen

Most of the cocaine shipped north from Central and South America these days travels through Guatemala and into Mexico before eventually crossing the border to the United States. The value of that cocaine, even before it enters the US market, is approximately $40 billion a year. That's nearly the size of Guatemala's entire economy. 

The drug cartels in Guatemala act with impunity and effectively control much of the country. As Guatemala's President Alvaro Colom recently told Al Jazeera, "The drug traffickers are much better armed and financed than our military and our government." Guatemala, as a result, has become a very dangerous place to live.

What's the solution? According to Giancarlo Ibarguen, president of the Universidad Francisco Marroquin, the US government should end its war on drugs.

Approximately 5 minutes.

Produced by Paul Feine and Alex Manning.

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Comments

[Dekedin]

Aww, at first I thought you were interviewing Giancarlo Esposito from Breaking Bad about the Drug War.

Very good video, if only Mexico would call out the US for escalating their conflicts with the cartels.

[Aresen]

The drug cartels in Guatemala act with impunity and effectively control much of the country. As Guatemala's President Alvaro Colom recently told Al Jazeera, "The drug traffickers are much better armed and financed than our military and our government." Guatemala, as a result, has become a very dangerous place to live.

I wonder what would happen if President Colom just told the drug cartels: "We are not going to attempt to interfere with your business, arrest you for drug dealing, spray your fields, check your cars, trucks, planes or ships as long as you leave the ordinary people alone & don't hurt, kidnap or steal from them."

(I mean, aside from the US-backed military coup a couple of months later.)

[Amakudari]

This is probably already happening to some extent, especially when you get local. The problem is that you wind up with a massively corrupt political system.

[cthorm]

When I was in Guatemala in 2009 everyone was very candid about the President being openly on the payroll of the cartels, and that being better than the alternative.

[capitol l]

I have a feeling that after the first country does it more would follow. Way too many people are dying because of our lawmakers myopic obstinacy, and blame is shifting to US policymakers from the actual drug cartels.

Regardless of one's view of the drug war, reality should inform any sane person that this situation is not sustainable. Citizens of central/south american countries are going to grow weary of being sold as cannon fodder by their leaders to the ever hungry ego of the US government. And with the war on terror, do we really have the resources to go a' meddling in south american affairs as we did in the eighties? Probably not.

Considering the laughable competence of our current, and foreseeable, leaders we'd probably end up with King and Lord Majesty Cesar Chavez of Mexico and Her Southern Colonies if we tried any coup making.

[Zeb]

But if that were the official policy of the country, you might be able to avoid some of the corruption too.

[Cris Ericson]

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[Freely Frolic]

The US government and Libertarians should end their war on free movement of free families to gather and hunt.

Officer, am I free to gambol about forest and plain?

[gao xia en]

He'd say that you should go to Las Vegas

[gao xia en]

Well, Guatemalans can't vote in US elections.

[Concerned Citizen]

Reason uses that 'Atlantis' song enough in their videos they should make it the new theme song. It's a good tune but really, use it when it fits - like when you used it for the atlas shrugged interviews; at least it made sense there.

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[Susan Misner]

The problem is that some US teens are very good at deceiving their parents. They manage to usurp drug testing at high school jobs and conceal their drug use. By the time that some very caring parents become aware of their teen's drug use, the problem is extensive. Some teens leave home and live on the street rather than attempting rehabilitation from their drug habits. Until routine drug screening becomes a part of all medical health visits for adolescents and/or random drug testing in schools is permitted, the pathways to serious substance abuse and addiction will be perpetuated, with the devastating effects of the drug demand of the US on crime in Latin America and other parts of the world. Where are these kids getting the money for drugs? Some are dealing without their parents knowledge. What leads kids to drugs, sometimes in homes of decent, hard working parents? The use has become so endemic that peer pressure in schools is one contributing factor. What can US parent do to deter drug use by their kids. Besides setting good values and modeling behavior, and keeping them involved in healthy activities, just be smarter and sneaker than your kids in the effort to know what they're doing in their lives.