South america Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

South america - Essay Example A characteristic feature of the state of affairs brought about by some powerful economic interests in an environment with weakened or nonexistent rule of law is the disappearance of clear boundaries between the sphere of governments/authorities and the sphere of organized crime or rebels. In a region traditionally torn by international disputes over land, resources, or economic paradigms, guerrilla or paramilitary groups in one country are often sponsored by the government of a neighbouring country. Over the last years this has been the case with FARC - a Marxist rebel terrorist group active in Colombia, and its ties to the present-day government of Venezuela. The organization derives most of its finance from growing coca (Philp). In their effort to restore the money influx after it suffered from U.S.-backed anti-drug campaign led by Colombian government, the guerrillas invaded areas previously unassociated with coca production, doing everything to get the indigenous inhabitants of these lands involved in their trade. As Philp shows in her article, the coca growing guerrillas, a self standing anti-government group thinking themselves to be outside the reach of legitimate Colombian authorities, never refrain from threats, violence, murder.