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Reuters/Brazilian Federal Police/Handout
Brazilian police carry out a search for smugglers on their side of the Parana River, across from Paraguay, in Foz do Iguacu, Oct. 26, 2010.
CACERES, Brazil - For the first 500 years of Brazil's history, pretty much anything that wanted to cross its borders could do so in relative peace, whether cattle, Indians or intrepid explorers.
That era is now drawing to a close. Brazil's economic rise is forcing it to deal with a problem it long regarded as the sole concern of rich countries such as the United States: the need to secure its borders and slow down a flood of drugs, illegal immigrants and other contraband.
President Dilma Rousseff, under political pressure from a crack epidemic in Brazilian cities, is spending more than $8 billion and overhauling Brazil's defense strategy to tackle an issue that has implications for trade, agriculture and the overall economy.
Brazil's prosperity has created a new consumer class of tens of millions of people who happen to live right next to the world's three biggest producers of cocaine: Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. Brazil is now the world's No. 2 cocaine consumer, behind only the United States, according to U.S. government data. It is also a booming consumer of marijuana, ecstasy, and other narcotics.
Reuters file
A Bolivian police officer lifts a barrier for a motorcyclist to cross the border from Brazil near the city of San Matias, February 9.
Rousseff's attempt to choke the flow of narcotics could mean big money for companies from Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer, which plans to make a new line of unmanned drones to patrol the border. Foreign firms such as Boeing, Siemens and others stand to gain.
Securing an area that is five times longer than the U.S.-Mexico border, winding through more than 10,000 miles of Amazon jungle and 10 different countries, is proving to be a huge challenge. It is also sparking debate about whether it's really worth the money and effort.
For Rafael Godoy de Campos Marconi, a police lieutenant at a lonely border checkpoint in the snake-infested Pantanal wetlands in western Brazil, the task can seem hopeless.
Marconi's unit is responsible for patrolling a 125-mile stretch of border with Bolivia, the source of about 80 percent of the cocaine consumed in Brazil. On any given day, Marconi believes there are dozens of smugglers sloshing their way through his turf, with drugs stuffed into their shoes, pants and underwear.
The problem? Marconi usually only has 10 to 12 men to cover all that territory. Two weeks had passed since their last bust.
"Oh, they're out there," he sighed, scanning the horizon, sweating in the 100-degree heat and humidity. "But there are so few of us that they know exactly where we are." Even with double his current resources, he said, it would be "very difficult" to control a region so deep in Brazil's interior. With a wry smile, he mentioned a solution that was on the lips of a number of Brazilians here.
"Maybe if we built a wall, like the United States has (with Mexico)," he said. "Maybe then we can slow these people down."
Reuters file
Smugglers wait on the Brazilian bank of the Parana River.
Brazil won't be building any walls. But it is trying to absorb other lessons from the United States, and leaning on Washington for resources and technical advice. The head of Brazil's armed forces traveled last year to El Paso, Texas, along the Mexican border, to meet with U.S. military and Department of Homeland Security officials.
Brazil's new emphasis on its borders, and the obvious subtext - that it regards its neighbors with a growing wariness - is starting to prompt the kind of resentment around South America that used to be reserved for a certain large, English-speaking country to the north.
"It pains me to say it, but I've heard people say we're the new gringos," said Pedro Taques, a senator from Mato Grosso state, which borders Bolivia. "Controlling the border is a problem that Brazil never thought it would have to face ... and it's forcing us to do some uncomfortable things."
Nonetheless, Taques said that improved border protection was "critical" to the health of Brazil's economy and society, and he expressed frustration that results have not come faster more than a year into Rousseff's presidency.
"Until now, we've seen lots of speeches," he said. "But people who live on the border aren't seeing enough results."
Brazil is ramping up its efforts just as the countries around the region who have fought drug gangs the hardest in recent years, at enormous financial and human cost, seem to be starting to explore other alternatives.
Reuters file
Coronel Joao Henrique Marinho of the Brazilian border police.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said last year that he would "welcome" legalization if it took the profits out of smuggling. His Mexican counterpart, Felipe Calderon, hinted in a September 2011 speech that he might be open to a similar move.
Colonel João Henrique Marinho, who commands the Brazilian army's Second Border Battalion in Caceres, observed that, at present, Brazilian smugglers in the border region lack anything resembling the sophistication or firepower of cartels in Mexico or Colombia. Instead, they run what Marinho described as an "artisanal" operation based on smugglers and light aircraft.
Asked why local smugglers haven't organized themselves into Mexican-style cartels, Marinho raised his eyebrows and replied: "Could it be because we're not resisting them yet?"
The full version of this news feature by Reuters reporter Brian Winter can be seen here.
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Leave a Comment:
A Law Enforcement Drone..Thats the Right Answer.They seek..They Identify..Without Harming Our International Drug Enforcement Officers.
So the USA is not the only country on this planet that wants to protect itself from illegals and drugs.
Stop the drugs stop the usage. OR AT LEAST MAKE THE DRUGS TOUGH TO GET, the price goes up so what. More crime? OK build more prisons. Eventually less police and so on.
JUST START SOMEWHERE
Is everyone..In the world.."Much-O..Stupid"?lol
THEY shud jus hire Ereeco Hulder n' thaa Fast n' Furiouso Boyyz, then they wud be safer. No gunz no druggz.
I worked the Chaco Basin of Bolivia in 1989 and drove a convoy of vehicles from Corumba Brazil to St. Cruz Bolivia. The train between the two cities was always crowded with people who it was acknowledged were smuggling. It seems that they are taking things a bit more seriously, but with the jungle terrain, the job of the Brazilians is next to impossible. You could drive a truck across the border at night an no one would ever know.
I lived in Mato Grosso, in Cuiaba and Diamontino in the mid to late '90s. While there, federal law enforcement agencies were shut down because they were helping the drug trade in Brazil. Furthermore, that region is so vast, producers could easily grow and manufacture the drug inside the country.
The toll drugs have taken on Brazil is already steep. Tragic that such a wonderful culture and beautiful people are being effected so severely by the drug trade.
kthorne-how much of that damage would say is the result of the drugs themselves, as opposed to the result of street gangs shooting each other to defend "turf" to sell the drugs?
Brazil was the only country in Latin America to send troops in both World War 1 and World War 2.
Americans will never forget a true friend!
Brazil has a large ex-parterre population of United States citizens who have moved to Brazil, the first group around 50 thousand, left the south after the civil war, and founded several city's, since then there has always been many thousands of North Americans moving to Brazil, i believe just last year around 10 thousand Left the U.S. to become Brazilian citizens.
That's why we are going to be buying our oil from them. Maybe.
I would love to move to Brazil.. Love the environment, and the people.
don't arrest trafickers, just kill them and trow in the jungle (animals take care them), can save money.
Brazil, ah yes the land of chicks with dicks
William, you have them confused with Thailand, dude. Do your research next time! ROFLMAO!
Brazil is a huge country with vast natural resources but without the advantage the U.S. has of sharing it's longest border with a wealthy country where most of the populaion is content to remain there they wont be able to even slow any who want in there's just to much border. I'd suggest strongly enforcing regulation on employers if they cant get work they wont come.
Can't we just give the warlords billions of dollars worth of bribes. Isn't that how the secret cult that administers the system solves the worlds problems? Just turn up the dial on the torture machine!
@ Larry - Cracking down on the employers of illegals in Brazil wouldn't yield much benefit, unlike here in the U.S., (if we REALLY did it), the harmful effects of the drugs and the related turf warfare are much more.
(I tried to post this as a reply, but it wouldn't take)
Going to America for advice on stopping the flow of DRUGS and people across the border?
That's a joke right?
I agree with you 100% Taking noted from us is not the best solution. We have had very little success in decreasing the flow of both drugs and illegal imagrant into our country without a steady increase of fatalities. There was mention of a wall along some parts of Texas. I am not sure if this is true or not. I know its been talked about. But, America as a whole can barely come togather to figure out which shoe to tie first. Let alone build a wall along the American/Mexico borders. I have spent a lot of time in Brazil and currently live in America and work in the Peruvian Jungle. I was you all the best of luck. If you you successed with the border control. Maybe its us that should take lessons from you..
GOD Bless...:)
A lot can be learned from observing a dismal failure.
Dam...I should have proof read alittle better....
Your right, Alot can be learned. And I hope they do..:)
It's damn and you're--as long as you're proof reading LOL.
Man I needed a good laugh, and this was it. LOL
Good luck with that.
Brazil pays $10 a gram for pure Bolivian flake. Can you imagine America if the prices were that low?
Brazil also thinks the word gringo is spelled "green go" which they think is related to America"s military power. (this is taught in schools)
Meth use is on the rise in Brazil now.
Brazil's growing pains are just starting.
Thats my understanding of the word too. After reading the artical. I don't understand why the named to title the way they did. Thier border issues has little to do with us. Also, I thought it was a little funny how they mentioned other rich country like "United States" First off, unfortunatly, we are not that "United" anymore. And secound, thier are very few who are actually rich. Maybe if they tought more important values in thier schools other than words like "green go" they would realize that for the most part, we are not much better than them..
TrueAmerican#2
"Rich" is a relative term. Go hangout in some of the slums surrounding Rio or in some of the villages of the interior and you will see actual poverty. What we call poverty here, many of them would call rich.
Also, they are using the term "gringo problem" to say that this is a problem that they thought only gringos had. Which was true, until very recently. Think of the term "princess problems".
Yea, I understand completly becuase I have done just that. And your right, even the most poor here in America would be considered rich. Sad but true. Its the same here in many places around Peru too. Even in some of the larger cities such as Lima, You can see and understand. That makes sence about the Gringo title. Thanks..
When the scumbags running the U.N. get their way in full, Brazil won't have to worry about their borders. There won't be any borders. No country will have borders.
What a sick joke this world is becoming.
Nonetheless, Taques said that improved border protection was "critical" to the health of Brazil's economy and society, and he expressed frustration that results have not come faster more than a year into Rousseff's presidency.
"Until now, we've seen lots of speeches," he said. "But people who live on the border aren't seeing enough results.
A very astute statement. One that could be made by any US politician with the cojones to do so.
"Could it be because we're not resisting them yet?"
Bingo! Give the man a cigar (Cuban cigar would be best).
Them Cuban cigars are too expensive. The big ones like Castro used to smoke was $20 each at the duty free shop in Cozumel.
I thought the same thing when I read that part. That man has far too much common sense to be in government service. I wish we could get people like that into civil service here in the US.
I am from N. America and i want an apology from Senator Pedro Taques for calling Americans "Gringos" This is racist.For those who don't know, being called a gringo in S. America is not a good thing. It's the same as using the N word here in the states. So now we know where we stand with our southern neighbors. Well, piss on you too Mr. Taques.
That's the way I feel too, However it depends on the way the word is used. I work in S.America and for the first several months I thought everyone down here was mean and rude for calling me this. But, the word doesn't apply to just N.American of white color. From what I understand and have come to accept is that. It actually applies to all "Foreigners" of caucasian color. No matter where your from. Some still use it as a racist term. And some don't. I still don't like the word myself. And I can't stand Senator Pedro Taques, POS does not represent me....
Save yourself Brazil...legalize!
I'm a Libertarian and, flash, we don't believe in making drugs openly "legal" in the U. S. That we are the marijuana party is a fallacy. Most libertarians believe people who want to do drugs need to be allowed to do drugs and be labled as to their choice and the drug they want to do for the protection of the rest of society. Sobriety would be the default; no registration as a drug user would mean you better be clean. The drugs would only be had legally and the act of procuring would mark you as a user. Sobriety could be reestablished through consecutive clean drug tests but your history would remain, and it would be public. Getting caught with illicit drugs would be instant and harsh prison time. It is a real simple system. It would cut crime in the U. S. down to near nothing. It does not provide for public funded rehab. You get yourself hooked, you get yourself unhooked, like cigarettes. It is not like there arn't nonprofit support groups on top of other volunteer groups that can help the addict.
That is one of the dumbest things I've ever read.
Trust Me Sir, You don't want to look for advice from America on how to curb illegals from crossing borders. Hell were hoping your country implements a plan soon that we can learn from.
key words in this article "illegal drug trade" make it legal, what is freedom if it isn't free to get stoned? The only people benefitting from keeping drugs illegal are the criminals who traffic in it and the law enforcement agents bribed to look the other way. We repealed the prohibition laws on alcohol, it worked. Alcohol is still a bit of a problem but so are people with guns and we haven't outlawed guns yet.
The war on drugs is purely destructive. Hopefully they won't go down that path.
I'm failing to see where the term 'gringo' fits into this articel. I don't think the U.S. immigration policy is a very good idea. We're bleeding at the seams and cannot absorb illegal immigrants fast enough. Do you liberals understand this. It'd gonna be an overpopulation issue, and more competition for jobs for U.S. citizens. The last several presidents we've had just left the American people hangin. Bush din't do anything about it, Probably because he would've been called racist. LOL. I don't think most people know what racist even means. Obama won't do anything about it because his and eric holders policies not requiring ID to vote will get them lots of illegal votes. All good for O, but very bad for the American people.
I have nothing against the people from south of the border. My best friend is Latino. I do however car about this country and still think we have a chance if the right and the left quit fighting over ridiculous issues.
Then we don't have a chance.
I don't mind the term 'gringo' I'm usually not called that because I'm only half white. But like I've said before, white folks, especially white men are the most openly discriminated group by far. It's strange. I mean look at what whites have accomplished throughout history. I mean there is still slavery going on in several countries. Ironically, a few countries in Africa. America is the best place by far if people would just be more optimistic and stop whining. Black folks relly need to step it up. If you all feel dicriminated against, it's not your skin color, it's the antisocial, angry at the world, my way or the highway attitude. Such high percentage of blacks have this developmental problem. I blame the parents who act like children. Off topic I know, but black folks SHOULD be angry at black folks who have the attitude problem, Not whites who the vast majority want blacks to assimilate and quit acting like gangstas. That genre is like a cancer to society. Peace.