Underground Narco Network

     For many years there has been countless infamous drug lords. Pablo Escobar, El Chapo, Griselda Blanco, are just of the few most famous ones. Mexico is one the most famous countries in which drug cartels originate from. Most recently Chile, one of the safest Latin American until recent, has been tied to a narcofuneral that required police to be cautious. A woman died who allegedly had some connection to a drug cartel. This rise in cartels is alarming as countries considered to be safe are now being overwhelmed with drug related crimes. 

    Besides Chile, Ecuador also has had an increase in crime, all related to cocaine. Drug cartels are becoming smart in the way they traffick their products as well as using countries that seemingly were not involved in any drug crimes. Sadly, these new cartels are not being subtle on how they deal with business. Government officials that were against such drug crimes have been assassinated. There has been car bombs and dead bodies being thrown off bridges. But the fear of more people being killed, has made the government to kind of ignore the new narco networks , to protect the public. But they need to be harder on the gangs to reduce the crime in countries not used to such things such as Ecuador and chile. The Albanian mafia and Mexican Gangs are using these countries to transport their drugs. 

    But locking the criminals up will help reduce the crimes right? Well an Ecuadorian gang, Los Choneros, have become successful in prisons as they can recruit people to their gang as well as attack their enemies. This is the opposite of what we all think could have happened. The cartel should start to dismantle and the possibly disappear, but that is not the case. It is upsetting to see how much power the drug world has. It rises the question, what can the government do to help the situation? or better yet, what is the government NOT doing to help reduce the crime? It makes us look at countries such as El Salvador, who for a long time has had gangs rule the streets, have taken action into locking up the gang members and reducing crime. Other countries, especially Ecuador and Chile who did not have much problems before, should take notes from president Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, for putting away many gang criminals in his short time of presidency. 

    Although this increase in drug gangs is a huge problem on its own, it brings other problems such as the underworld human trafficking empire. This empire has been ruled by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. 

    All these issues, increase in mortality rate, increase in drug use, human trafficking, need to be taken under control. But how can a country do that if they aren't strict and firm with the criminals? Many presidents, like Ecuador's new president, Daniel Noboa, has decided to follow the example of Nayib Bukele. These issues, if not resolved the right way, will only lead to more harm and tears to be shed from many more countries.