Scanning the Horizon: Drones and Counter-narcotics in Latin America
Scanning the Horizon: Drones and Counter-narcotics in Latin America
In the last ten years the proliferation of drones (or UAVs)1 has extended to Latin America. Governments in the region have invested in drones both through the purchase of technology and finished products from abroad, and through the development of their own domestic industry, which have taken distinct paths. While the focus of this report is primarily on their deployment for counter-narcotics purposes, drones in the region have performed a plethora of tasks. With the increase in tasks performed by drones, especially in countries that have been heavily involved in the ‘war on drugs,’ this new technology is contributing to the already advanced blurring of boundaries between war and law enforcement. Swansea University, UK, Januar 2022)