Latin American Drug Trade

Latin American countries to designate cartels as terrorist organizations

Fourteen Latin American and Caribbean countries are following the US lead by designating 25 drug cartels as terrorist organizations, the *New York Times* reports.

This marks the first time such a decision has been made at an international level in the region, following the Trump administration's own terrorist designation. During his second term, Donald Trump has taken a stand against drug cartels and established "Shield of the Americas," a collaborative effort involving several countries with conservative governments across North, Central, and South America.

"The cartels are the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere; they are not good people," the president said in his address to the UN General Assembly.

Spanish police no match for cocaine smugglers

Spanish police stand virtually no chance against the technologically superior cocaine smugglers from Latin America, the *Wall Street Journal* reports.

The smugglers employ drones, radar, thermal imaging cameras, and speedboats capable of reaching 60 knots—or 111 kilometers per hour. Spanish police admit they lack the resources to intercept the hundreds of smuggling vessels operating in the Strait of Gibraltar.

According to Juan Luján, head of the police organized crime unit on the Costa del Sol, Spain has essentially ceded control of its territorial waters.

"We cannot allow hundreds of boats to cruise around harbors and beaches, unloading their cargo while families with children are swimming nearby," he says.

Global cocaine production has reached a historic high, driven by global demand, widespread coca cultivation, and a well-oiled supply chain.