The Ugly Truth: Drugs, Trafficking, and Terrorism in Colombia | Nicholette Parrish

Spirit of America

In Spirit of America's first podcast, Latin America Project Manager Nicholette Parrish describes her efforts to curb cocaine production through education within a struggling community in Colombia. With over 90 percent of the cocaine in the United States estimated to have come from Colombia, the local governments are struggling to impede the cultivation of illicit crops, the production and trafficking of illegal drugs, and the impact of Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). These Illegal activities are conducted by armed groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), criminal gangs (BACRIM) and terrorist support networks, who often recruit or kidnap local youth to aid in their illicit activity.