“Drug Cartels and the Colombian Economy”

Presenter(s): Francesca Muchow

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Poster 189

Session: Global Engagement ARC

A city built on drugs: Medellin, Colombia. For most that live in the city, especially those in more impoverished neighborhoods, the illicit drug trade is a large part of daily life and affects citizens both politically and economically. What this study will investigate further is the direct impact the cocaine industry and drug cartels have on the functioning of not only Medellín’s economy but Colombia as a whole. The methods of our research were conducted by reading articles, journals, thesis, and using the extremely informative website Cocaineconomics, created by Netflix to give an accurate historical depiction of Pablo Escobar’s, one of the most infamous drug lords, business and its shaping of society. In 2009 cocaine was a bigger business than Google, brining in an estimated 38 billion. For the seemingly abandoned lower class of Colombia, the narco money was a blessing cursed with unimaginable violence. Escobar’s legacy is often discussed as a modern day Robin Hood taking from the rich Americans and negligent government to fund social programs and put money in the hands of the lower class. Cocaine has played a huge role in Colombian economics and continues to today. Although an exact figure would be difficult to find, understanding how deep the ties go between cocaine and the current quality of life in Colombia is important. As the world continues to attempt to eradicate drugs, it’s important to know the implications of the industry beforehand.