Threats to human security in Latin America

In: Izvestiya of Saratov University. Sociology. Politology, Band 23, Heft 4, S. 467-473

Abstract

Like any other region of the world Latin America is a subject to threats that negatively affect the standard of living of people. The author identifies and analyzes the main economic, social, political, and environmental threats of the region, referring to the documents of international organizations such as the UN, the World Bank, Human Rights Watch and experts studying the problems. The author notes that the immediate economic threat to human security arises from a drop in production, loss of income and rising unemployment, which leads to a significant increase in poverty and a decrease in citizens' confidence in the future. Against the backdrop of global crises, the World Bank forecasts a modest increase in the GDP of countries in the coming years. The author identifies three social groups that are most vulnerable to threats to human security: migrants, indigenous people, women, and children. A common problem for the region is the high percentage of cases of violence that also come from the authorities. The main threat to the political security of citizens is the weakness of democracies, since this political system in the region has existed for about forty years and is not yet as developed as in other regions of the world. The high level of corruption among officials aggravates the situation in the country, which often leads to rallies and strikes throughout the region. Among the transnational threats to human security, the author notes terrorism and organized crime, including money laundering and drug trafficking, as well as trafficking in short-barreled weapons. These threats pose a direct danger to people's lives. Against the background of deforestation of tropical forests, the threat to environmental security is extremely acute. The danger is that deforestation leads to the deprivation of indigenous peoples of their habitat, which directly affects the human security of the region.