Nolan Bastendorff Colombia 1 Nolan Bastendorff Colombia Table of Contents 3. Introduction 4. Issue 5. Non-Profit 6. Geographical Area Analysis 8. Economic Analysis Part I 11. Economic Analysis Part II 16. Political System 18. Trade Laws and Legal Analysis 20. Population 24. Diet and Nutrition 26. Housing 28. Transportation 29. Labor 32. Education 35. Clothing 36. Recreation and Leisure 38. Language 40. Religion 42. Bibliography 45. Appendix NonProfit - Print Ad Issue Brochure Recipes Etiquette Information Country Selection Letter 2 Nolan Bastendorff Colombia Introduction Throughout the entire IMP, thorough research was conducted on the country that each student chose. I previously had a little bit of knowledge of the drug problem taking place in Colombia, so I decided to do some more research on it. After finding out a little more background knowledge on Colombia, I decided that this would be a good country for me to complete a research project on. Colombia is currently home to some of the most sophisticated and violent drug cartels in the world. Since the 1970s, many of the original cartels have died off, but some that have survived have actually multiplied. There are currently 300 known active drug smuggling cartels in Colombia that transport drugs, mainly cocaine, to all parts of the world. The United States is the biggest recipient of Colombian cocaine. The Colombian government along with the help of United States officials have been battling the drug trafficking problem in Colombia for years. That is why I thought a drug rehab center in Colombia would be an appropriate non-profit organization to start up. New Beginnings Drug Rehabilitation Center will help raise awareness about the drug trafficking problem, and assist drug addicts in becoming sober once again. In addition to the research conducted on the drug problem and the non-profit organization, I also researched everything that makes Colombia unique; such as, its education, modes of transportation, geography, economy, religion, language and everything else that helps to shape each country. Colombia is an extremely beautiful country that has beaches on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, extravagant snowy peaks in the Andes Mountains, and recreational activities that are super unique to the country. Like most South American countries, the native language of Colombia is Spanish, and 90% of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic church. The IMP was an extremely informational project and I learned a great deal about Colombia from completing it. Like all countries, Colombia has its fair share of issues that it faces, but the main one is drug trafficking. Drug trafficking will always be an issue in the world. However, if more people are informed about the harm that is being done because of it, then maybe more will work to stop the problem. 3 Nolan Bastendorff Colombia Issue The country of Colombia is full of extravagant views, exciting traditions, amusing tourist attractions and above all, well-rounded individuals that make up society. However, there are a number of civilians that choose to partake in drug smuggling; one of Colombia’s biggest, ongoing battles. Drug trafficking in Colombia has become extremely violent, and thousands of innocent people have fallen victim to the violence taking part between cartels. Drug trafficking has been a huge problem in Colombia, and unfortunately, there are no signs of it diminishing soon. Since the 1970s, some of the most sophisticated and violent drug cartels have made Colombia their home. In the mid-1970s, marijuana traffickers began smuggling small amounts of cocaine into the United States. At that time, cocaine was being processed in jungle labs for $1500/kilo and could be sold on the streets in the United States for up to $15,000/kilo. There were two main cartels that are responsible for the upbringing of the drug trafficking industry; the Medellin cartel and the Cali cartel. Both cartels fell apart in the late-90s due to a decrease in cocaine consumption in the United States, but there is believed to still be over 300 active drug smuggling organizations in Colombia today (PBS.org). Cocaine is in high demand world-wide. With cocaine in such high demand and the profit available from the business, people are willing to do anything they can to make a buck. Such a strong thirst for power makes people do some extremely ludicrous and violent things. One of the leaders of the one of the original cartels is thought to be responsible for the murder of hundreds of government officials, police, prosecutors, judges, journalists and innocent bystanders. Larger cartels have recently broken up into smaller groups in order to avoid detection by United States officials and the Colombian government. The smaller groups help cartel leaders to organize their responsibilities easier; one group is responsible for smuggling from Colombia to Mexico, another controls the jungle labs, and yet another is responsible for coca transportation from the fields to the labs. The drug trafficking situation has been disastrous for Colombia. Drug-War Related Murders in Colombia 4 Nolan Bastendorff Colombia Cartels take part on-going wars with one another which produce huge profits from the drug industry, which are then turned into weapons for further fighting. With cartels constantly fighting, innocent civilians then get mixed up with the violence, creating chaos throughout the entire country. The country of Colombia is a beautiful place that is full of breath-taking scenery and thrilling tourist attractions. However, the on-going battle against drug trafficking is seriously damaging the society of Colombia. Drug trafficking has been, and will continue to be, a very problematic situation in Colombia, unless positive actions are put into place. The government of Colombia, along with the help of the United States, is doing what it can to help fight the battle against drug smuggling, but there is always room for more help. Getting the public aware of the drug problem in Colombia is the first step to recovery; so I would like to do what I can to help raise awareness of the drug smuggling situation in Colombia. Non-Profit New Beginnings - Colombia Mission Statement Our mission is recovery. We provide high quality, innovative and complete treatment to those affected by drug abuse in a caring, empathetic manner to restore hope to individuals and families. What We Do Colombia is home to some of the most sophisticated and violent drug cartels the world has ever known. These cartels have been smuggling cocaine into the United States since the early-1970s and have been making an incredible profit from the drug industry. With money constantly rolling in, the cartels are able to grow in size and increase weaponry. As power within the cartels grow, more power is desired; this leads to extremely violent leaders/members with the drive to continue gaining power. The violence must stop. However, the only way to decrease the violence is to decrease the amount of drugs and drug addicts that reside in Colombia. New Beginnings is the key to diminishing the drug problem, and restoring Colombia back to the safe and clean country it used to be. New Beginnings Rehabilitation Center strives to help all suffering individuals recover from their addiction, and stay clean for the remainder of their lifetime. The drug-related crime that is going on in Colombia must stop now. Government officials, police, prosecutors, judges, journalists and innocent people are falling victim to the violence that is taking place between rival cartels. In order to help the innocent, the addicted 5 Nolan Bastendorff Colombia must be helped first. New Beginnings will help the addicted, and in turn, help create a safe place for civilians to once again live freely without the fear of violence in their own neighborhood. Ways You Can Help 1. Donate Money o In order to get New Beginnings up and running and to its full potential, we ask for donations to cover the starting costs. Once you see the affects of New Beginnings in your community, please feel free to make donations to help us continue to provide high quality, innovative and complete treatment to our patients. 2. Buy New Beginnings T-Shirts and Wristbands o The staff here at New Beginning will be selling T-Shirts and Wristbands with the New Beginnings logo and a catch phrase on each. All profits will go directly into continuing to develop New Beginnings and increase awareness of the problems that drugs are producing in Colombia. 3. Volunteer your time o If you are interested in volunteering your time at New Beginnings, you are more than welcome to help. Over half of our staff here at New Beginnings are volunteers simply because they believe in the mission of New Beginnings and because they want to see the direct improvements taking place within their community. Partnerships New Beginnings is going to work in partnership with the Colombian government, the DEA, and United States officials. The Colombian government is already doing what they can to combat drug smuggling, so we will partner with them to increase awareness and administer help to those in need. We will also partner with the Drug Enforcement Administration and United States officials because drug addiction is not only a problem in Colombia, but in the United States as well. Geographical Area Analysis Set in the northwest corner of South America, Colombia is the only country in the region with beautiful coastal beaches on the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Colombia’s neighbors include: Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Sharing borders with these countries provides Colombia with a great opportunity for trading goods and services. Colombia’s unique setting along the coast of the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, and neighboring countries, provides any business with the potential to flourish.