Illegal Drug Production & Trade
In Middle America
Since 1997, the Coast Guard has seized an extraordinary 806,469 pounds of cocaine and 333,285 pounds of marijuana in transit from South America through the Caribbean, the primary drug route prior to the 1990s. The countries of the region have suffered various consequences of drug trafficking and US-led eradication and interdiction efforts. In production countries, these include environmental and community damage from forced eradication of coca crops such as aerial spraying and the funding of guerrilla insurgent groups through illicit crop cultivation and sale.
Women's Rights and Equality
Political Instability
Latin America is the 3rd most unstable region in the world. There were only Three countries that were consistently democratic over a thirty year period.(Costa Rica, Colombia, and Venezuela). The rest of the Countries had some sort of democratic to autocratic change. One example is Argentina: Had 18 Years of democracy, but changed in 2001 with food riots and overthrow of the Government. Many riots happened after new government took over. currency was devalued, restrictions on blank accounts. Second example is Ecuador: Involved in a recession when overthrow of the government happened. Natives were the ones who started the movement. The Military was involved. Government was corrupt-caused inflation, Jobs losses, and bank issues.