A War Against Narcoculture in the Region?
By Andres Kogan Valderrama
HAVANA TIMES – The recent controversy surrounding narcoculture in Chile, sparked by a column written by Chilean sociologist Alberto Mayol, in which he questions the organizers of the Viña del Mar Festival* for bringing an artist like Peso Pluma and explicitly stating a “public-private alliance to promote narco,” seems to me to close the possibility of debating the core issue, which is the existing drug policy.
I mention this because focusing the controversy on the lyrics of a specific artist, and whether or not they should perform in a public show, not only gives more publicity to the message one seeks to prohibit but also obscures what lies behind narcoculture – a war on drugs that has been historically a resounding failure in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It would seem like a bad joke that our leaders are now considering starting a war against narcoculture, censoring any cultural expression defined as pro-drug trafficking. This would undoubtedly lead to a long list of artists and groups from various musical styles.
This is not to say that we shouldn’t question the lyrics of countless artists who trivialize physical, sexual, and criminal violence, as well as organized crime, as is the case with Peso Pluma. However, moving from questioning specific lyrics to reproducing a prohibitionist logic, now in the cultural realm, in the region with the highest deaths from drug trafficking, seems to be heading in the wrong direction.
Consequently, what we need to discuss is the regulatory system on drugs and the prevailing preventive policies, which clearly fall short. Resources are primarily directed towards substance control instead of improving people’s lives and providing alternatives, especially for youth who see illegality as an escape within deeply unequal, segregated, and violence-ridden societies at the family level.
Again, I’m not suggesting that nothing should be done about the violence generated by drug trafficking, but the response must be based on evidence and aimed at a change of course. Otherwise, we are heading straight towards having new leaders like Bukele, violating human rights systematically in the name of the war on drugs.
For the same reason, opening the discussion on a new drug sales regulation, leaving behind decades of prohibitionism, should be a question we ask ourselves as Latin Americans, especially after what has happened in countries like Colombia, Mexico, and now Ecuador with drug trafficking. This should be taken seriously and stop being a taboo topic for governments.
However, to achieve that, we must overcome prejudices, fanaticism, and a narcocentric moralism that refuses to engage in a fundamental discussion for the region, opposed by both left and right-wing governments who do not want to lose popularity. The punitive rhetoric on drugs remains a constant in the mainstream media.
Fortunately, there are different political sectors opening up to the discussion, both liberal and progressive, realizing that the war on drugs and drug trafficking has brought more deaths to our countries, especially in the most impoverished sectors dealing directly with in their neighborhoods, schools, and squares.
In conclusion, for the well-being of our countries, I hope that joint drug policies are generated at the regional level, leaving behind a prohibitionist model that only benefits organized crime and corrupt sectors profiting from it, wanting things to stay as they are, surely including artists like Peso Pluma.
*The Viña del Mar Festival in the Valparaíso Region is scheduled to take place from February 25 to March 1, 2024.