Modern-day issues for Latin America There are many environmental concerns for Latin America – Accessing natural resources – Global climate change – Water management – Increased power/energy supplies – Need of farmland

Today the land-locked region of Central America deals with emigration issues

The U.S. has intensified security measures to monitor movement of people and supplies across Mexico’s border

Poverty remains a major challenge in the region – Made worse through increased urbanization

Crime and violence prevention are important issues for regional governments – Some of the highest homicide rates in the world

Latin America has many drug issues—especially in Colombia and Mexico – Colombia is a leading producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis

– Colombia is the world’s leading coca cultivator, and supplies cocaine to most of the U.S markets and great majority of other international drug markets

– Many native people have gotten caught up in the drug trade, especially young people

– Within the past 15 years, it has been very dangerous for journalists investigating the drug cartels of Colombia

Mexico’s powerful drug-trafficking organizations have left high body-counts in the region – Largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the U.S. market

– 90% of all annual cocaine shipments headed to the US stop in Mexico