Guatemala President Wants "NATO-Style" Force to Battle Narcos

[Jim Finnel]

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom said Central American countries threatened by Mexican drug cartels should lobby for the creation of a regional NATO-style military force in an interview with the Financial Times Wednesday. The center-left politician said only a combined regional military force and improved intelligence could thwart the power of the violent and well-armed drug trafficking organizations.

Guatemala and other Central American nations form a transit corridor for South American cocaine destined for North American markets, an industry estimated to be worth as much as $40 billion a year. Mexican cartels seeking to expand their operations or fleeing the pressure cooker of the vicious drug war at home have moved into those small, relatively weak neighbors, with the Zetas in particular establishing a presence in Guatemala's Peten province.

In May, Zetas killed 27 farm workers at a ranch when they came looking for the owner, who wasn't there. A few days later, Zetas killed and dismembered a Guatemalan prosecutor working on the case. Drugs gangs are suspected in the killing of Facundo Cabral, the celebrated Argentine folk singer, who was gunned down as he headed toward the airport after a Guatemala City concert earlier this month. The attack was believed to be aimed not at Cabral, but at his Guatemalan concert promoter.

Colom, who is now in his final year in office, said that national borders meant nothing to the traffickers, while the region's armies and police forces have to respect the sovereignty of their neighbors.

"What good is it if the forces of one country are pursuing drug traffickers who cross a river but then have to stop to avoid an international incident?" he said. "Why not have a type of Central American NATO?"

Colom said he was against legalizing drugs and looked for financial assistance from the US to help fight the battle. "Without support of co-responsibility from the consumer markets, this is going to be a permanent war," he said.

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom would rather
go to war with the narcos then legalize drugs.​

NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: StoptheDrugWar.org
Author: Phillip Smith
Copyright: StoptheDrugWar.org
Contact: Contact | StoptheDrugWar.org
Website: Guatemala President Wants "NATO-Style" Force to Battle Narcos | StoptheDrugWar.org

 

[G-Dog]

In Latin American countries they have a term, plata o plomo which means silver or lead. In countries in Central and South America the police do not even have gas money to run their cars or motor bikes. Their jobs are basically jokes, and they just use them to exhort money from tourist. The mobs have massive amounts of money and are notoriously violent. They pretty much over run any place they can. For the police in Central America to take on the drug cartels is like an ant trying to fight an army of people. Not only the police, but every official is up for sale from those running small regional airports, to border patrol, to the man that operates a safe house. The lure of money from illicit drugs is too big for any third world government to fight. Not to mention many already hate the ugly American that throws his cash around and treats everyone he sees as a hooker or second class citizen. Who cares if we are willing to pay thousands of dollars per kilogram for poison. All anyone really wants is to stay alive and make a living.

 

[Jacob Bell]

It's really sad when politicians (in this case, in Central America) decide the only way to stop violence is with more violence. This president is willing to kill people, with soldiers, yet is not willing to simply legalize a plant. No amount of violence or money is going to stop these dealers, only legalization will do that. Take down one dealer, another pops up in their place, because the money is so good. What a sad joke.

 

[G-Dog]

There is not that much money in Latin produced brick weed. What we are talking about is Cocaine and Heroin, something that cost as much or more than Gold.

The cartels are an organized army the does not subscribe to the Geneva convention. I don't condone violence, but what is the answer to the cartels? This is not about marijuana.