Browsing by Author Azevedo, Christian Vianna de.
Showing results 1 to 2 of 2
| Issue Date | Title | Resume | Author(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-07 | Demobilizing and reintegrating FARC fighters: the challenges faced to end the forever war | Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - FARC has consolidated its position as the longest surviving and the most entrenched guerrilla movement in all of the Americas. FARC has been steadily weakened after significant leadership losses, more than half of its foot soldiers and a substantial amount of its experienced mid level commanders. Yet peace is not in sight. Colombian civil war happens to be the stereotypical intractable conflict. Colombian state forces have been increasingly powerful, yet the guerrilla, although crippled, is entrenched and resilient. The government has relied on the demobilization program as a way out for a conflict that seems ripe for resolution. Colombian demobilization program is called PAHD – Programa de Atención Humanitaria al Desmovilizado. It has been highly regarded and approved by the population and by the demobilized as well. One of the greatest concerns of the government is about the life of the ex-fighters after demobilization. The economic reintegration has proven to be arduous and recidivism may be a problem. Yet there are other concerns about the defeat of FARC that have to be worked together with the demobilization program so peace can be finally achievable. | Azevedo, Christian Vianna de. |
| 2018-01 | Venezuela’s toxic relations with Iran and Hezbollah: an avenue of violence, crime, corruption and terrorism | Venezuela’s relations with Iran date back into the sixties when both were founding members of the OPEC. Iran’s influence in Latin America has become quite large since the Ira-nian revolution. Iran sees Latin America as a strategic priority for its global positioning. The Lebanese immigration towards South America has begun a while ago. But there’s a period, during the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990) when a large number of Lebanese immigrants came to the continent. Back then, according to some experts, Hezbollah and Iran took advantage of this mass migration and infiltrated their agents and recruiters among the Muslim migrants. Hezbollah is probably the most organized terrorist orga-nization in the World in respect to its illegal financing activities. The group funds its re-gular operations through all sorts of crimes. Hezbollah has a tight relationship with Iran. Ever since Iran has established its covert operations in Venezuela, Hezbollah has come along, as its proxy. Venezuela is submerged in crime and corruption. The Venezuelan go-vernment has been infiltrated by transnational organized crime for more than a decade. The convergence of corruption, crime, violence and terrorism in Venezuela was enabled by a set of conditions and circumstances that basically got entrenched after Chávez was inaugurated as president in 1999. From that time onwards, Venezuela became a source of political, financial and logistical support for Hezbollah within Latin America. Their relationship impacts the neighboring countries, particularly Brazil. | Azevedo, Christian Vianna de. |