The Challenges of Fighting Global Organized Crime in Latin America

Abstract

Latin American states have long been fertile ground for organized crime. Some of the world’s busiest corridors for trafficking in drugs, weapons, documents, and human beings run between and through Latin America and the United States and Canada. While Latin American states are signatories to many conventions and international agreements to fight organized crime, endemic corruption and the inability to Latin American states to enforce domestic law and honor international agreements hinders the capacity of international law enforcement partnerships to address transborder crime. This article looks as the duties of Latin American states to fight organized crime and the difficulties the states have in honoring is international responsibilities.

Keywords: Latin America, Organized Crime, Global Organized Crime, Drug Trafficking, Weapons, Arms, Human Trafficking, International Law, Transborder Crime

JEL Classification: K33