1. Causes of Diffusion in Latin America
Push and Pull Factors

2. Push Factors
Factors that “push” people out of an area

3. Violence
According to the United Nations 2013 Global Study on Homicide, Latin America has surpassed Africa as the world’s most violent region. * *

4. Violence Contributing factors; Organized crime Drug trafficking
Police corruption (lack of criminal law enforcement)

5. Violence-- Mexico’s drug Cartels
Most of the violence is attributed to fighting between rival drug gangs for control of territory and drug shipment routes*
Common tactics used;
Extort local businesses
Kidnappings for ransom.
Human smuggling
Prostitution rings
Intimidation
Murder
Video:
This video is a little accusatory against the US about the violence
Background: This is a link from BBC explaining the cartels in detail *

6. Political corruption
Corruption: Use of political power for personal gain
Common places;
Police
Political party
Political office
Common forms
Bribery (the use of gifts or money to influence and official)
Extortion (obtaining something of desire through threat of force)
Drug trafficking
Receiving of stolen goods

7. Political corruption

8. Income Inequality
Income inequality- “refers to the extent to which income is distributed in an uneven manner among a population”
According to OxFam International**;
165, million people, in 2013, were living in poverty, with 69 million of this total in extreme poverty. (Women are the majority)
32 individuals OWN THE SAME WEALTH as the poorest 50% of the region’s population
In 2014, the richest 1% owned 41% of the region’s wealth, while the remaining 99% had to share 60% * **

9. Income inequality

10. Pull Factors
Factors that “Pull” people to an area

11. Panama canal
Opened in 1914
Cuts across the Panama Isthmus, thereby acting as a short-cut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Therefore, cutting shipping time and costs
Very profitable for Panama, in 2012 the canal produced a net income of 1.26 billion USD

12. Panama Canal
Is being expanded to accommodate newer, larger ships. This will drop shipping time and costs even further.
Officials say the larger locks and new lane will double the waterway’s cargo capacity

13. Panama Canal

14. Ecotourism
Ecotourism is the “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education”
Goal is to protect natural environments such as rainforests and coral reefs

15. ecotourism
Important for the growth of less developed countries in and outside of Latin America
In 4 out of 5 countries, tourism is one of five top export earners.
Tourism is a principle “export” (foreign exchange earner) for 83% of developing countries, and the leading export for 1/3 of poorest countries (Mastny 2001).
Since the 1990s, ecotourism has been growing 20% – 34% per year (Mastny 2001).
In 2004, ecotourism grew globally 3 times faster than the tourism industry as a whole (WTO 2004).

16. maquiladoras
With the growth of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) since 1993, american- owned factories placed in Mexico to take advantage of the cheaper labor offered by latinos.
Usually located within 50 miles of the US-Mexico border to expedite shipping
Usually manufacturing textiles and small electronics.

17. Maquiladoras
Immigrants are now starting to migrate to Mexico to work in these factories from all over the world though mostly from Latin America.

18. Processing
Select one of the three push factors discussed today that would most motivate you to leave a home in Latin America. Describe why you chose this one.
Select one of the threes pull factors discussed today that would most motivate you to leave a home in Latin America. Describe why you chose this one.