The President said his government had shut down three cocaine laboratories, one of which was capable of manufacturing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine daily.
The raids came after the murder of three soldiers the government blamed drug traffickers for. In response, Morales’s administration deployed 2,000 troops to the northeast corner of the country, an active drug trafficking corridor.
Central America has for many years been a major transportation channel for drugs emerging from South America and bound for the United States, according to InSight Crime.
As in other Latin American countries, the drug trade has not only resulted in frequent outbreaks of gang violence, but commonly involves political actors. In June, a mayoral candidate ended his reelection campaign due to trafficking allegations, and in April, a presidential candidate was accused of trying to fund his campaign with money from the Sinaloa Cartel.
Now, the main concern is that Guatemala is no longer just a stop-over for traffickers, but a new cocaine producer. The discovery of coca plantations and factories indicates the country has become another hotbed of criminal activity requiring international attention, according to The Tico Times.
