Colombia's Addiction

By Taylor Graham, Michael Murphy

In 1994, the United States hosted the prestigious World Cup, a soccer tournament composed of a myriad of skillful, desiring, young athletes, playing with one goal in mind; taking home the gold trophy. Similar to the Olympics, this sporting event is a cosmopolitan gathering, which unites languages, cultures, and contrasting political establishments. With all spectators watching the United States, a country with little to no previous soccer domination, the American squad commenced the festivities in a group of three soccer powerhouses: Colombia, Switzerland, and Romania. Favored to be the emerging leader, Columbia began playing with an impeccable record prior to the World Cup, and they were presumed to be a potential candidate for the best soccer nation in the world. With high expectations, everything changed in a matter of two weeks.

With a disappointing record of one-and-one, the Colombian National Team had one final chance to emerge from their bracket; they needed to defeat the inexperienced, yet streaky American squad, who were playing with the support of thousands of loud and rambunctious fans. Late in the game with the home country ahead by one goal, the left midfielder for the United States team crossed a dangerous ball, deep in the Colombian defense. Attempting to clear the ball from danger, a Colombian defender named Escobar, accidentally deflected it into his own goal, giving the American team an optimistic two goal lead with little time remaining. The South Americans salvaged one goal, yet failed to capture a second. With a disappointing showing, the Colombian team boarded a plane with the destination of their native country. The nation was stunned as a whole, and within forty-eight hours, Escobar was found murdered in his home with numerous point-blank shots to the head and chest.

A Colombian drug cartel was determined to be the guilty party. Having come into the World Cup with high expectations, this drug cartel wagered countless money on the success of their soccer team. In retrospect, Escobars own goal was the one goal that caused the Colombian National Team not to advance to the round-of-sixteen. As a result, the drug cartel decided that killing him was the only method of repaying him for their economic loss. It is sad to think that drug organizations have as much power and dominance in todays society. As Stanford Soccer players, it is frustrating to have organizations that have access to disrupt our individual lives. As athletes (not to say that being an athlete is the only reason to not do drugs), drugs have been avoided throughout the entirety of our lives, yet drug cartels still have the potential to intrude into the everyday lifestyle.

Latin America, throughout the last three decades, has become the world largest supplier of drugs. Although many countries contribute to this acclaim, it is proven that Colombia is, without a doubt, the largest supplier and producer of cocaine. President Clinton has dedicated much time to stopping the infiltration of drugs into the United States, but it is important to take a clear look at the business of drug trafficking. Although there is unlimited evidence that the production of illegal substances such as drugs is detrimental to the world and to a specific country, there are debates that focus on the contribution of the drug industry to the Colombian economy as a whole.

Drug cartels are routinely described as kingpins, as cold-blooded murderers, as the agents of corruption. But there is another viewpoint that classifies them as entrepreneurs, philanthropists, or titans of agriculture, industry, banking, and commerce. In many cases their enterprises are the bulwarks of their countries economy. About the only thing distinguishing Colombian drug lords from the traditional robber barons is that their line of business is illegal. Their methods are not all that different-- they ruthlessly pursue monopoly, will sacrifice human life for profit, and are wildly successful in accumulating wealth. To assuage their consciences, they often give generously to churches, hospitals, universities, and the poor. It is not uncommon for a Catholic priest to comment that drug traffickers do much good work.(Diana Jeane Schemo, February 28, 1998)

The illegality of drug trafficking lies at the heart of an even greater paradox. The narcotics cartels are by far the most successful Latin American enterprises in the international market. Mexicos drug cartels alone yield $30 to $50 billion a year in hard currency from the United States, well over four times the revenue from oil, the countrys leading export. This in one of the few major businesses, moreover, with ownership and management that is almost entirely Latin American.

Yet the cartels owe much of their home-grown success to the United States. In the first place, the US provides an apparently inexhaustible market for their agricultural and industrial products. More important, narcotics prohibition keeps out competition from multinational corporations. Were narcotics legalized, tobacco and liquor companies would immediately rush into this highly profitable market, and the drug cartels would be out of business almost overnight. Instead of having the profits of drug trade go to a specific country, such as Colombia, after the legalization of these addictive products, financial gains would go to individuals instead. To put it bluntly, Colombia would collapse without the steady infusion of narcodollars, and if their leaders are less than zealous in their pursuit of narcotics traffickers, it is at least as much for reasons of state interest as because of corruption. (http://kalama.doe.hawaii.edu)

Many Colombian Drug Cartel specialists are under the impression that the Colombian government is practicing a form of market consolidation. They will occasionally nab a kingpin and portray the move as a coup on the war against drugs, while clearing the way for better-connected traffickers to expand. Also, it is not uncommon for those arrested drug smugglers to continue running and profiting while they are in jail. According to Colombian and US law enforcement officials, as well as associates of Cali cartel leaders, one of the leading cartels in South America, a group of traffickers led by Ivan Urdinola is moving aggressively to destroy the existing cocaine empire of brothers Gilberto and Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela. Although Urdinola and the Rodriguez brothers are in prison, enforcement officials say the three traffickers continue to run their illicit empire unimpeded. The Colombian government is not separate from this drug scandal as well. For the drug business to succeed, it is probable that there are inside connections from these traffickers to political officials, possibly even the president. Former president Ernesto Samper, who won the presidential election in August of 1994, was being investigated on allegations that his campaign received up to $6 million from the Rodriguez brothers. Although he faced an impeachment trial, Samper finished his four year term in 1998.(Andrew Reding, October 13, 1997).

Economically, the drug cartels provide a constant supply of drugs world wide, but for a product to be successful, for every supply, there needs to be an equal demand. The United States has become hooked on the illegal narcotics of Colombia and other South American countries. Instead of focusing on stopping the continuation of the drug supply, many argue that the United States should focus inward, and stop the demand of these illegal substances. As a country, we are addicted to cocaine and other illegal substances. But the unpleasant truth is that the addiction is reciprocal. Just as the United States is hooked on narcotics, Colombia is hooked on narcodollars. Both are signs of failure of political community. No one is even talking about investing in the infrastructure of Latin America, as a means to building economies that are truly healthy, rather than on narcodollar highs. Maybe it is time to address the addictions on both sides of the border.(Andrew Reding, October 13, 1997).

Colombia is in a very difficult situation. They have slowly been pulling themselves out of a third world economic status, but much of their income comes from drug trafficking. In fact, 7 billion of 70 billion dollars of Colombias GDP comes from the profits of the drug industry. Colombian economists are divided on whether or not the source of income is beneficial to the country. Some argue that the drug industry has halted the social and political deterioration caused by a failing economy. Mainly they argue that the profits have provided needed economic support. These points of view insist that the drug industry is essential to the countrys changing economy and that its removal will be detrimental to an economy that cannot survive a major loss. They will state that it is up to the United States to stop their own problem on the demand side, and for the US government to stay out of the economic affairs of Colombias drug trafficking.(Cartel Disarray, May 15, 1996).

But there are always two sides to every story. Many Colombian economists believe that a combination of efforts between Colombia and the United States dismantling the drug industry is the route that Colombia should take. They argue that even though some statistics will show huge profits for Colombia resulting from the sale of narcotics, the overall effects of the industry have been disadvantageous to the economy. Their claims stem from the drug industrys profits leading to the re-evaluation of the currency. The changing of the traditional currency caused a decline in some of Colombias traditional industries. The old businesses could not compete in the new market and could not handle the currency switch, forcing them out of business. Another problem is that the drug industry caused extreme violence through the actions of the cartels. Many of the cartels do whatever it takes to overcome outside resistance whether it be attacking local businesses or the Colombian government. Cartels have responded to anti-narcotic programs setup by the government with the bombing of buildings. The death of a former presidential candidate was the result of his promising anti-drug measures. The violence of the cartels led to several other areas that were damaging to the economy as well.

First off, the picture of a drug related country with much of its power in the hands of the cartels discourages investments, both foreign and domestic. Why would other countries pursue economic opportunities in a country run by imprisoned drug traffickers? Cartels own much of the land of Colombia and a number of businesses and even most of the soccer teams. Second, it diverts investments from unproductive small businesses with laundering activities. Finally, violence increases the costs of the business sector by forcing businesses to invest in security. It is not uncommon for companies to be attacked viciously by drug cartels. The intimidation factor of these wealthy individuals is substantial. The few who challenge these industries in a business fashion are forced to accept the costs of security. The Colombian economy could have grown at a slower rate without the drug industry if they drew in investments and produced more of their successful exports. The drug industry seems like a hero to many of the Colombian people, but they need to realize that their economy could suffer in the future. If the United States is ever successful in its fights against drugs within its borders, the industry will not have its demand, consequently losing its economic strength. Also, Colombia will continue to suffer from its association with narcotics, and the Colombians need to think about what kind of reputation they want and whether or not they want to be one of the few producers of products that are ruining other peoples lives.(Douglas Farah, June 10, 1996)

In an attempt to help the Colombian government establish the type of reputation they find suitable for their country, the United States has taken up several measures. The United States government has drawn up many different programs to curb the cultivation of narcotics in Colombia. For example, as the Colombian government has dedicated 1.1 billion dollars a year to fighting drugs being trafficked out of the country, the United States government was spending an excess of 100 million dollars to support Colombian anti-narcotics police. However, this strategy has not necessarily proven necessarily effective.

The goal of the Colombian government has been to slowly discourage narcotics cultivation, while at the same time preventing their fragile economy from entering a major depression. The United States tactics to this point have not yet accomplished this goal. Apparently, the US has relied on fumigation of coca crops as their main weapon against the cocaine cartels. Although this has helped to kill off many of the coca plants in Colombia, it unfortunately disallows these lands from being used for alternative crops which might aid Colombias economy. Meanwhile, in other countries with drug trafficking problems crop lands were being converted from narcotics to other, legal agricultural crops. In Bolivia and Peru there are highly effective programs which have helped the peasants of these nations to raise new crops. This has caused the percentage of drug crops to drop significantly in these places, while the economy has remained somewhat stable.(Frank Smith)

Further, it is important to note that the United States has not even succeeded in decreasing the amount of cocaine that is shipped from Colombia to the US. It is estimated that around eighty percent of the cocaine that enters the US every year originates in Colombia. In fact, the amount of cocaine production in Colombia has increased since the beginning of US intervention. Sources state that in 1997 Colombian pilots poisoned over 99,000 acres of coca crops, and yet coca cultivation in the country still rose almost twenty percent. And meanwhile, the Clinton Administration has decided to grant Colombia a waiver from its current sanctions in acknowledgment of the advances that the country has made towards reducing drug trafficking.(Frank Smith)

The failure of the American government to produce any positive results through their intervention in Colombia has put a strain on the relationship between the two countries. Washington tactics, which have included attacking bridges, blowing up labs and poisoning crops, have left a sour taste in the mouths of many Colombians. Many of the poor Colombian farmers have been forced into growing narcotics in an effort to join the middle class, and now they are the ones being punished with crop poisoning. The United States is failing to target the root of the problem, the cartels, and the poor farmers are the one paying the price. One poor farmer living in a community which is considering ending coca crop growth states, They confuse us with the Cali or Medellin cartel. Maybe they think were rich too, but in reality, were poor. And our children go hungry. This is a prime example of the bitterness that many Colombians feel towards US intervention. (Frank Smith)

As the situation continues to get worse, the United States refuses to reform its tactics. In fact, United States officials at the Bank for Inter-American Development voted against a ninety million dollar loan to increase crop substitution work in Colombia in 1998. This loan is just what the Colombian farmers want, but the US government continues to pour money into other facets of drug trafficking prevention. The United States anti-narcotics funding for Latin American military and police forces more than tripled between 1996 and 1997. A majority of this money was used for shooting down planes transporting coca leaves or paste to Mexico and Colombia from Bolivia and Peru, destroying crops and seizing drugs bound for the US. These very destructive methods are the very heart of the frustration which the Colombians feel. At the same time, some United States officials claim that they have offered crop reorganization programs which Colombia has refused. During the Bush administration, the officials claim, Colombia traded any agricultural aid for increased military assistance. Whether or not this is truth, one may never know, but one thing is for sure, none of the actions that either government are currently taking are helping the drug situation. (http://www.alternatives.com.crime/MEXDEA.html)

However, it is not only the Colombian end of the bargain which is failing to be resolved. In the United States, availability to drugs such as cocaine and heroin is as easy as its ever been. The seizures of tens of thousands of tons of heroin and cocaine between 1988 and 1995 along with the destruction of over 135,000 acres of coca had made little impact on the availability of these drugs in the US or on the amount of these drugs needed to satisfy the US demand, according to numbers reported by the General Accounting Office. It seems that in several parts of the nation drugs are finding their way over the border without any detection by the authorities whatsoever.

One of the hubs of drug trafficking into America is the state of Florida. Apparently, many of the old trafficking routes used by cartels, that have been abandoned for over ten years, are now being utilized once again. These routes are widely used for cocaine and heroin transfer into Florida. This type of activity is common in many border states throughout the nation including Texas, Arizona, Florida and New York. One source states that in 1995 cocaine was readily available in all major metropolitan areas of the US. The prices remained relatively low, ranging between thirty and two-hundred dollars per gram. This made the drug attainable for just about anybody who wanted it. And those who wanted it included persons between the age of 12 and 17; this age group showed the largest increase in the percentage of people who use cocaine. Further, the purity of the cocaine per gram remained very high also. The percentage of purity per gram stayed above sixty percent. All of these statistics explicitly point out the fact that getting cocaine into the United States has not been much of a problem.(Police Humor)

This problem could be the result of many things, but one of the main causes of this problem seems to be the supposed corruption of the Colombian government. This corruption has caused many hard feelings between the Colombians and the Americans. The charge has been made against President Ernesto Samper several times that he has used moneys for his campaigns which have been donated by cocaine cartels. Samper, who assumed the presidency in 1994, has been under extreme scrutiny ever since August of 1995, when his former campaign manager, Santiago Medina, disclosed that Samper had instructed him to accept a donation of a Cali drug cartel firm. Since the release of this information the Colombian government has fallen out of favor with the American government.

It is not only President Samper who has frustrated the Clinton Administration; as of late the whole of the Colombian government has compounded the problem. In 1996 a Liberal Party dominated parliament voted to set aside the allegations against Samper for drug money campaigning. This was the governments chance to display to the United States that they were willing to reform, and would not tolerate such suspect actions from their president. Over this decision one source states that, President Clinton slapped economic sanctions on Columbia Friday, charging that its government is too riddled with corruption to effectively combat its powerful drug lords. This blatantly shows how the American government has been frustrated with the entire Colombian political structure.(http://yorku.ca/nathanson/bibliography/Contents.htm)

Today the corruption of the Colombian government has caused the American government to denounce the country in many ways. The American government refuses to grant certain rights to the Colombians. For example, at the same time the Clinton Administration was throwing sanctions on Colombia, they were excusing Mexico from the same sanctions. This is completely ridiculous choice considering the amount of drug trafficking which runs through Mexico into the US is equal to that which runs through Colombia. The reasoning behind the choice of the Clinton Administration was based solely on appearance. On the superficial level, Mexico has made it appear as if they are arresting many of their cartels and thus slowed down the drug trafficking, but this is far from the truth. Although the Mexican authorities have arrested several well-known cartels, they have not managed to slow down the amount of drugs coming from their country across the American border. Thus the American government has sanctioned Colombia simply to save face.(George Gedda)

Enough has been said about the trouble surrounding the situation involving drug trafficking, the United States, and Colombia; the key is now to figure out which direction things need to go in for the future. President Sampers term ended in 1998, and with it went several suspicious ties between the Colombian government and the countrys drug cartels. Hopefully, with a new leader in command, Colombia will be able to return to the favor of the American government. The key for Colombia is crop reorganization, not crop destruction. With new leadership in the country it might be possible for Colombia to join the anti-narcotic legion again. This would mean funding from the US to help reorganize crops and curb coca cultivation. This type of program would be paramount for both countries. It would help Colombia to establish a consistent steady source of income from other crops, and would help the US stop many of the drugs that are flowing into the country. Not only would this help the two countries fight drug trafficking, but it would also help relations in general between them. By working side by side, Colombia and the US might be able to solve many of their problems, but alone neither of them are accomplishing anything at the moment.