Breaking Latin America鈥檚 migration driver
Even if President Trump gets his border wall, it will not stop one big driver of migration. Gang violence in Latin America continues to force thousands of people to flee each year. Curbing such criminal groups remains central to the region鈥檚 stability. Many strategies have been tried, especially in Central America. Now a new president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has been quickly initiated into this ongoing search for solutions.
Soon after taking office Jan. 1, Mr. Bolsonaro was confronted with mass violence by criminal organizations in the northeast state of Cear谩. Police stations, banks, and other buildings were burned. The attacks began after the local governor proposed new rules in prisons, such as cellphone blockers, that would have reduced the dominance of gangs. As has been the case in many Brazilian cities, gang leaders wanted to show who was really in charge.
The federal response was led by none other than a popular hero, former judge S茅rgio Moro. He has served as the nation鈥檚 leading anti-corruption crusader, putting dozens of politicians behind bars, including a popular ex-president. Now, as Bolsonaro鈥檚 minister for justice and security, he sent 400 police troops into Cear谩 to help control the violence.
But Mr. Moro knows it will take more than guns matching guns to break up Brazil鈥檚 gangs, especially the most powerful one, The First Capital Command. He plans to present reform legislation that he hopes will create a 鈥渧irtuous circle鈥� of crime reduction, mainly through preventative measures.
Many of the techniques he proposes come from his fight against high-level corruption, such as data collection, plea deals, and isolating offenders. The key is break a gang鈥檚 code of loyalty, which often requires enticing young gang members with other opportunities and a caring community outside of gang life. Crime experts call this 鈥渇ocused deterrence.鈥�
Just as Moro has changed Brazil鈥檚 corrupt political culture, he wants to change the culture that leads young men to join gangs. Or, as Bolsonaro said after an armed gang killed a police officer in Rio de Janeiro last week, the government 鈥渕ust, by law, give guarantees that good will beat evil.鈥�
Gangs tend to thrive where the state is largely absent in providing basic services. That includes prisons where gangs are often in charge and can gain recruits. Brazil has one of the world鈥檚 largest prison populations and one of the 聽highest murder rates. If the new government can come up with solutions against organized crime based on integrity and humility, it might help other countries in Latin America.
