Monday, July 20, 2009

Revolutionary Latin America and Today's Nexus of Terror

By Jerry Brewer

As symbolic smoke of death, violence, chaos, and political instability systematically and euphemistically permeates through areas of the Americas, there are suspects.  Too, there are sizeable footprints for the forensics of thought to ponder and to come to grips with.

Regardless of how one chooses to characterize the turmoil and inhumanity, the process has been a slow, methodical, and organized global insurgency of revolutionary ideology.  The evil axes of terror constructionists have cleverly exploited terroristic behavior overlap.  This overlap from fragmented elements and modus operandi of a myriad of organized criminals – from terrorists and other transnational criminals, to political and a not so clearly defined narco-insurgency and related agendas.

The progressive expansion of terror and extremism throughout the hemisphere to the borders of the US are more than simply fear campaigns.  The guerrilla tactics, sophisticated weaponry, unpredictable attacks, and technical expertise and organization of these insurgents have caused thousands of deaths, injury, and misery.

The irony of the narcotics scourge alone is how the massive accrued wealth of the narco-terrorist’s hierarchy is at the expense of the citizenry and the victims, as a nation must struggle with the overwhelming massive resources needed to defend their homeland.  It has been reported that Mexican drug syndicates “generate more revenue than at least 40% of Fortune 500 companies.”  And let’s face it – Mexico remains under siege.

It is critically important to understand and to look to the evidence of the bigger picture and associated tentacles of the nexus of terror.  This is not all motivated by the narcotics trade.  The total elimination of illicit narcotics by product or via legalization would do nothing to a terror campaign’s ideology that other revenue sources could not replace.

Many organized and non-organized criminal element’s raison d'être do not necessarily include elements of the narcotics trafficking trade.  Although one could argue “revenue” as a tool to perform and expand, human trafficking, weapons proliferation, robbery, kidnapping for ransom, and related organized theft that includes white-collar financial frauds and schemes, provide the financial grease for the wheels of other criminal movement.

In Latin America, criminal street gangs are elements that have evolved as not only tools of the narcotics trade, but also as merchants of crime du jour.  Too, many of these gang members, as well as many former military conscript soldiers have been recruited throughout the Americas for their particular expertise.

Insurrection, internal rebellion, and other forms of armed revolt throughout Latin America are most certainly not a new phenomenon.  However, in the world terrorist’s equation it is a good marriage to exploit the ideology of intense ethnic hatred, anger, and revenge towards those that work valiantly to interdict radicalized terrorists.  Especially, when the land mass is contiguous to the US and resources are scarce to prevent their strategic and progressive movement. 

The organized element of the terror nexus is specific to Latin America.  It has its roots from Argentine revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara, to Venezuelan revolutionary Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, also known as “Carlos the Jackal.”  Guevara, a celebrated hero and mentor to the presidential Cuban Castro brothers, Raul and Fidel, as well as to President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.  President Evo Morales of Bolivia has also stated his admiration “of the revolution.”  Guevara was known as a “notorious disciplinarian who unhesitatingly shot defectors.”

High levels of corruption within the Venezuelan government, military, law enforcement, and government security apparatus has been reported, and must remain a concern for the hemisphere. President Chavez was quick to end the joint US antinarcotics cooperation and efforts.  Consequently, Venezuela is now reported as “fast becoming a major hub for cocaine trafficking.”

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, an ardent Chavez supporter, has chosen not to renew the 10-year usage rights by the US military's Southern Command, for Ecuador’s Manta Air Base, for use in the fight against illegal cocaine trafficking in the region.

Drug trafficking through Honduras has risen sharply over the past couple of years.  This in the form of “many shipments of cocaine arriving on flights from Venezuela in route to Mexico and the US."  President Manuel Zelaya was recently removed from office in Honduras, after trying to emulate President Chavez’s extension of constitutional presidential term limits.

The safety and security of free democracies in Latin America necessitates a sound intelligence infrastructure to conduct better threat assessments and anticipate attacks on their sovereignty by terror elements, rogue state security services, and  others looking to disrupt free government.  From the Tri-Border region of Argentina with a significant Middle Eastern population, to the US border with Mexico,   revolutionary terror must be met strategically, swiftly and jointly by a united group of free Latin American nations.

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Jerry Brewer is C.E.O. of Criminal Justice International Associates, a global risk mitigation firm headquartered in Miami, Florida.  His website is located at www.cjiausa.org.