Von Buenaventura bis Berlin

Transnational organized crime (TOC) is one of the greatest social, political and economic threats to society, the state, the environment and development in Latin America. Ever new forms of criminal governance are undermining the legitimacy of democratic institutions and decision-making processes. Corruption, structural inequality, a lack of economic prospects and limited opportunities for social advancement are the breeding ground for this.

An effective policy to curb TOC requires a holistic approach that combines domestic, foreign and development policy perspectives and focuses on human security. Such a strategic orientation is in contrast to the security strategy of the second Trump administration, which relies on military solutions. There is a risk that the fight against organized crime will be politically instrumentalized in order to legitimize military interventions in the Western hemisphere that violate international law.

TOC has long posed an acute risk to human security in Germany and Europe too. In addition to drug trafficking, human trafficking, forced prostitution, environmental and weapons crime and cybercrime are among the main sources of income. The resulting flows of goods and finance reach Europe via highly efficient supply chains. At the same time, criminal networks are increasingly gaining influence over legal economic structures, particularly via money laundering.

How are the supply chains and routes from Latin America to Germany structured and what social dynamics drive them? This analysis helps to identify countermeasures in view of the acute cocaine glut in Germany. The focus will be on the interfaces between state and criminal structures using examples from Colombia, Brazil and Germany as well as the role of customs and ports.

16.00 - 16.30 Welcome :

• Dr. Imme Scholz, Director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation
• Jonas Wipfler, Head of the Berlin Representative Office of the Episcopal relief organization Misereor e.V.

Keynote:

• José Luis Caballero Ochoa, Vice-President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

16.30 -18.00 Discussion with:

• Diana Salinas, Cuestión Publica, Colombia
• Victor Vidal, former mayor of Buenaventura and Proceso Comunidades Negras (PCN), Colombia
• Carolina Grillo, Study Group on New Forms of Illegality - Fluminense University, Brazil
• Benedikt Strunz, NDR, Germany
• Arne Schwoch, Hamburg State Office of Criminal Investigation, Port Security Center

Moderation: Regine Schönenberg, Head of Office Rio de Janeiro, Heinrich Böll Foundation,

18.00 Reception