Our Brand is Crisis

   The American educated Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, ran for a second term of Presidency in Bolivia in 2002; having early served from 1993-1997. More common referred to as “Goni”, Lozada with the help of an American campaign consulting group named GCS (Greenberg, Carville, Shrum), won the 2002 election by one of the closest margins anyone in politics has seen. Our Brand is Crisis tells the story of Goni’s strategies implemented by the GCS, his victory, and a short rule as president before his resignation.

   A crisis over unemployment was one of the primary issue facing Bolivia’s government in 2002. GCS and Goni promoted the phrase “Crisis”, and stated that ending the crisis would be Goni’s main goal once elected. The citizen’s of Bolivia wanted to be heard and many went to the streets in protest, believing that it was their only way for the government to hear their opinion. However to Goni, the public’s opinion was an uneducated one and he believed his emergency revitalization plan created the best future for Bolivia. Goni lost a lot of respect from the public after this negative comment was reported from the media. One of Goni’s toughest opponents, Evo Morales, used his closer relationship with the citizens of Bolivia to gain more votes and support from the. Goni spent his childhood and schooling in the United States, where he learned modern ideals of a successful economy. He was able to overcome his diminishing relationship with Bolivians from the help of the GCS. The GCS used a combination of modern polling, focus groups, and campaigning strategies in creating a powerful image, specifically focusing on his experience of already serving as President. Goni was able to capture enough votes to beat both Evo Morales and Manfred Reyes. Once elected, implementing the emergency plan proved to be difficult due to a lack of public cooperation. After serving in office for under a year, Goni resigned to cease having more bloodshed in Bolivia over the gas conflict; a dispute that continues today.                   

   

   Bolivia sits on a large natural gas reserve creating potential for trade and foreign investment. During Goni’s first run as President he initiated many reforms in Bolivia. One of which was a capitalization reform creating five privately owned state companies in hopes of creating more capital in Bolivia with out having more corruption. With what foreign investment Bolivia garnered, much of the profit never reached the economic infrastructure of the country. Much of this investment came from the United States and other economically advanced countries. Termed the “Washington Consensus”, the entirety of this foreign investment was to create a more stable environment in Latin America. However, a mismanaged use of capitol and funding could not create a better economy and the consensus on Latin America crumbled. For Bolivia to ultimately create a successful economy, the government must try to diversify and become less reliant on natural gas and other minerals.  

La virgen de los sicaros

    Our Lady of the Assassins tells the story of violence in the city of Medellin, Colombia. We follow the love story of an older man named Fernando and a young boy named Alexis. Alexis reintroduces Fernando to city life, showing its harshness and new age of killing. This story takes place during the reign of the Medellin Cartel; under control of Pablo Escobar. Escobar uses his wealth from drug trafficking to hire assassins to carry out his killings and to keep control of the city.

    Ricardo Vargas describes why mafia rule continues in cities like Medellin. Through violence, mafia’s can establish their control. People are afraid of being targeted and killed, so they avoid conflict with the local power. The mafia also possesses extended political and economic power (Vargas, 107). Escobar was able to infiltrate and influence the Liberal Party. He also controlled the Cocaine trade, which at the time was one of largest exports in Columbia (30%) (Hylton, 68). The Medellin Cartel could afford thousands of assassins; far too many for the local government to oppress, we don’t see any examples of police involvement in the movie. Controlling the streets allowed the cartel act at their own digression; killing who ever they needed to with out repercussion. Alexis was dumbfounded when Fernando told him he didn’t know who Pablo Escobar was and the Medellin Cartel; however it didn’t take long for Fernando to experience the cartels work.

    Fernando states in the beginning of the movie that he is an anti-violence activist. However his ideals are changed as Alexis shows the power of the gun in Medellin. Hits are out against the Alexis and he saves their lives by gunning down two potential assassins. More random violence continues to take place. Fernando witnesses a car theft and murder; along with another random murder in the city. Fernando realizes what it takes to survive in Medellin, eventually giving Alexis a case of bullets. Violence would catch up to Fernando and Alexis. Alexis is murdered and Fernando is left to find another partner.

    Through the “Andean Strategy”, the U.S. has given aid to Andean governments to combat drug production and guerilla violence. Under the Bush administration in 2003, the U.S. gave almost $500 million in military and police aid. Eventually the U.S. was on the brink of direct involvement with the guerillas and the Columbian Civil War. In hopes of stopping direct involvement, the U.S.-Colombia came to an end-use agreement, which would continue to give aid to courter narcotics but not anti-guerrilla units (Evans, War in Columbia). In the movie we don’t seen any military or police involvement. Director Barbet Schroeder may have intentionally done this to show how ineffective the government’s role in stopping violence truly was. In a city like Medellin, true power comes in the form of bullets and control from the cartels.       

Cocaine Cowboys

     Cocaine use in the United States boomed in the mid-1960s. New York and Miami became drug havens for both consumers and distributors. What launched the cocaine drug trade can be traced to its manufacturing origins in the Andean countries of Peru, Bolivia, and Columbia, and continuing in Chile, Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, and into Mexico.

     In the early 1900’s cocaine could be medically prescribed by doctors for patients who needed more energy; long term affects of the drugs use had yet to be discovered. However by 1911, United States headed a world wide campaign to end cocaine’s drug abuse. In 1922 the U.S. had ceased importation of cocaine, and soon had the League of Nation’s in an anti-cocaine movement. After World War II, the U.S. tried to force South American governments to halt cocaine’s production by giving military aid but the drug’s production became one of the largest exports many of the countries had to offer.

    During the 1950’s, the Huallaga Valley was cocaine central in Peru. Cocaine leaves grew abundantly through out the valley where peasants could sell the leaves to the few organized manufactures of exportable cocaine. To this point the U.S. only saw a few cases of cocaine smuggling, but many narcotics agents began interrogating smugglers who stated Peru, along with other South American countries, was wide open for buying and selling cocaine. What was once a small industry; cocaine manufacturing grew into a much bigger business compared to the individual and opportunistic trade it was before. In Coletta Youngers’ article titled Collateral Damage, she introduces drug trade as squeezing a balloon. With the help of governmental intervention and the spread of a timely fungus to many coca plants cocaine production in Peru decreased; thus Colombia  experienced their own cocaine manufacturing explosion. Later, once the Medellín cartel was exposed their business was replaced by the Cali cartel, which was then replaced by smaller regional cocaine manufacturers. As long as the market for selling drugs is there; drug traffickers will continue to thrive creating more violence and crime in Latin America and the United States.

     Cocaine Cowboys focused on one import/export group that trafficked billions of dollars worth of illicit drugs through Miami. The ease of their operation leads me to believe that there must be multiple more operations similar to theirs still in business today. Had it not been for one man giving the details of their operations to the DEA; they could still be in business. Through programs like the “Andean Initiative” and “Plan Columbia”, the U.S. is focusing on destroying the source of drug production. However these programs have had little success in decreasing the amount of drug use in the states, and funding these programs becomes less justifiable. The U.S. is fighting a war against drug smuggling but with out having one true enemy; finishing the war will be continuing struggle.

Bus 174

        “And I thought that we are so screwed in this country that the only option left to us in the end is thanking the thieves.” This quote from Alberto Ramos in, The Drive-by Victim, ironically shows how chaotic the criminal justice system is in South America; more specifically in the highly populated cities.

        Bus 174 tells the story of Sandro Rosa do Nascimento, a man from Rio de Janerio. In his early life, he witnessed his mother’s murder and was forced to a life on the streets. As a deserted youth, he ended up in jail and eventually found a family at Candelaria; an old historic church in Rio de Janerio. There Sandro created friendships and was able to survive. However, on July 23, 1993, the Brazilian police shot on Sandro and his friends, allegedly killing eight and wounding more. He cites that this massacre was his reason for taking hostages on Bus 174.

       From previous movies and readings, South American countries are becoming urbanized and governments do not have enough resources to safely protect its citizens. Thieves can continually rob and live well enough to continue and forgo searching for a real job. The police force is undermanned and underfunded. Bus 174 documents jail life in Rio, showing an overcrowded cell with inmates who are undernourished. One man stated that he was from another country and had been in jail eight months past his release date; he exclaimed, “I’d rather be dead than in this jail.” Leaders in the government are hoping to establish “modernity” through out South America. President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement which opened up better trade relations between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Several local Mexicans view this transition to modernity negatively because of Mexico’s unique history with out the nuances other advanced countries benefited from. However modernization is a necessity for progress, otherwise actions like Sandros will continue to occur. Through T.V. coverage, Sandros was able to bring light to his situation. Through movies like Bus 174, more people have been immersed in the problems South America is facing today.

        I believe they are moving in the right direction. Mexico’s subway is now one of the longest urban railways in the world. Citizens are able to commute to their place of work more efficiently, and fewer workers will have to travel through the city. In 2014 Brazil will host the FIFA World Cup, which will boost the economy tremendously. Two years after, Rio de Janiero will host the Olympics. These events will force the government to clean up the streets of the cities, improve hotels, and increase funding to the police force, which will in turn improve the quality of life in South America.