Colombia takes lead to foster Caribbean integration

[Dolores]

Colombia took on the temporary presidency of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) that gathers 25 member states in the Caribbean and seven associates. Colombia Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo announced during the ACS meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname that in his presidency he would seek to implement new policies in the region and foster integration with the English-speaking Caricom membership. Murillo also announced Colombia will seek to become an associate member with Caricom. Colombia has a Caribbean coast.

The announcements may bring increased exchanges among the multi-language and cultural region.The ACS represents the Greater Caribbean and currently has 25 member states, 10 associate members, 28 observer countries as well as observer organizations, founding observers, social actors and other collaborative organizations. Caricom is mainly the English-speaking...

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[windeguy]

There is no doubt a huge amount of trade comes from Colombia and onward to the US and EU.

 

[MoJoInDR]

My wife was having dinner at Monty's in Coconut Grove in Miami, when a bomb blew up a boat in its marina. And she was a frequent shopper at Dadeland Mall, where a shootout killed two people. Both were linked to the drug trafficking of Columbian cartels of the '80s and '90s.

It was just thirty years ago that Columbia was an international pariah.

"...According to a study by Columbia's National Centre for Historical Memory, 220,000 people have died in the government/paramilitary groups conflict between 1958 and 2013, most of them civilians (177,307 civilians and 40,787 fighters), and more than five million civilians were forced from their homes between 1985 and 2012, generating the world's second-largest population of internally displaced persons. And 16.9% of the population in Colombia has been a direct victim of the war. 2.3 million children have been displaced from their homes, and 45,000 children killed, according to national figures cited by UNICEF. In total, one in three of the 7.6 million registered victims of the conflict are children, and since 1985, 8,000 minors have disappeared." — Wikipedia

It is thought that more than a million people have been killed over the last few decades, all related to the illegal drug industry... Which BTW is said to be growing (excuse the pun).

How does a country like Columbia gain the ground to head up an association of states, that themselves have suffered at the hands of the Columbian illegal drug industry?

Turning a blind eye anyone?

 

[windeguy]

My wife was having dinner at Monty's in Coconut Grove in Miami, when a bomb blew up a boat in its marina. And she was a frequent shopper at Dadeland Mall, where a shootout killed two people. Both were linked to the drug trafficking of Columbian cartels of the '80s and '90s.

It was just thirty years ago that Columbia was an international pariah.

"...According to a study by Columbia's National Centre for Historical Memory, 220,000 people have died in the government/paramilitary groups conflict between 1958 and 2013, most of them civilians (177,307 civilians and 40,787 fighters), and more than five million civilians were forced from their homes between 1985 and 2012, generating the world's second-largest population of internally displaced persons. And 16.9% of the population in Colombia has been a direct victim of the war. 2.3 million children have been displaced from their homes, and 45,000 children killed, according to national figures cited by UNICEF. In total, one in three of the 7.6 million registered victims of the conflict are children, and since 1985, 8,000 minors have disappeared." — Wikipedia

It is thought that more than a million people have been killed over the last few decades, all related to the illegal drug industry... Which BTW is said to be growing (excuse the pun).

How does a country like Columbia gain the ground to head up an association of states, that themselves have suffered at the hands of the Columbian illegal drug industry?

Turning a blind eye anyone?

More like realizing they could not arrest their way out of it. Demand is growing not shrinking. Here is some history:

Colombia’s Radical New Approach to Cocaine

The Petro administration plans to pour money into rural communities to stop the drug trade at its source.

foreignpolicy.com

The so called radical new approach did not work. So back to growing and shipping out of Colombia through places like the DR and on to USA and EU.
A super profitable trade indeed.