ADVANCE OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE AMAZON AND EFFECTS ON NATIONAL DEFENSE

Abstract

This article discusses the place of the Amazon in the scene of pulsating drug trafficking in the North of South America. It deals with a relevant theme, present in the White Paper on National Defense, whether due to the understanding of the Amazon as a border and resource concern, or due to the fact that drug trafficking encompass border issues and the defense of society. The Amazon has gained a lot of visibility in global geopolitical issues, especially in relation to sustainability, but in recent decades it has attracted attention for being strongly inserted in this context. Despite having always been part of the logistical circuit of drug distribution, the new development that has been developing and offering enormous challenges to National Defense is the expansion and consolidation of the First Capital Command - PCC - in the region. The central objective of this study is to analyze the expansion of organized crime and the challenges it poses to national defense. Qualitative research was adopted with a literature review based on official documents, articles and relevant news. It seems clear that integration between police forces and the army is central, but also the development of intelligence devices that allow for more effective actions at lower costs. There are currently two federal government initiatives that can help: the New PAC and the New Industrial Policy. In this sense, these strategies will be analyzed and considerations will be made for improvements that may be more effective in mitigating the extremely harmful impacts of this organization's operations in the region.