|
Explanation
The most violent country on earth with a huge homicide rate.
There has been a state of chronic insecurity in this country
for 40 years with civil wars between the major political parties
and a widespread use of arms reminiscent of the mythical Wild
West of the United States.
At present there are three main sources of armed attack: Left
wing guerrillas with similar aims to those in Central America;
and the criminal cocaine and marijuana syndicates; plus the private
armies of the landowners. All fight against the police and army
of the state.
There were some signs that in 1991 the wars had a hope of
ending with the enactment of a new constitution and the coming
into the official system of the leaders of the left wing guerrillas.
But a wide gap between the rich and poor is bound to fuel
conflict. In practice little seems to have changed.
In many areas of the country the State does not exist and
people live in a medieval condition with militias belonging to
the big landowners fighting the Marxist guerrillas and all taking
money from the drug syndicates. There seems little hope unless
westerners stop demanding drugs (or pigs fly).
A ceasefire, giving the main leftwing guerrilla group control
of a large part of the country, came to an end in March 2002
when the government forces invaded this 'sanctuary'.
There is a threat of attack from Venezuela after speeches
by Venezuelan president Chavez in November 2009.
|
