Quote:
Originally Posted by General Pain
Anyone done any write-up on this country/region ?
(Just did some reading on the cocain-cartells )
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I did have some incomplete stuff on Columbia and the Cartels in my TW2000 campaign. Here's what I had.
The Cocaine Trade: The number one customer of South America’s cocaine trade was the United States, followed closely by Western Europe, Japan and Canada. All four of those economies have been smashed by WWIII. This wouldn't normally mean the end of the cocaine trade since it is driven by demand, and if people used cocaine to escape their troubles in the best of times, they sure as hell are going to keep using in the worst of times... if they can get it. While the demand may be there, the Western/Industrialized world can’t afford the cocaine at pre-war prices. That is going to depress the cocaine market greatly. Also, there are no international distribution chains left because there is so little international transportation infrastructure. So instead the Cocaine cartels in Columbia, Peru and Bolivia will need to scale back production and find a new customer base. They will have to sell to the least damaged nations, like France, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and South Africa.
Most of the new cocaine trade would be concentrated on the countries of South America since that is where the cartels have the most physical access. Sailing ships would be used to transport the cocaine to costal ports around the continent. Fortunately for the cartels most of the continent’s population lives near the coast. Transport to French Guiana would allow sales to criminal groups from Union Frances like the Corsicans who would import it to France and then to any existing markets in Europe. Getting it to Australia, South Africa and New Zealand would be more difficult. Perhaps the Corsicans control the distribution since France controls what little international trade is left in the Atlantic. If there are no other distribution options, the cocaine cartels would be at the mercy of the Corsicans and they, not the Cartels, would be able to set the price.
Cocaine would still be plentiful, unless the Cartels decide to restrict the supply and drive the price up by creating less supply than demand. Unfortunately, that may not be possible with the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) in Peru. Most coca leaf is grown Peru (Bolivia being a close second) and being commies, Maoist commies at that, the Sendero Luminoso are not going to get that whole supply-and-demand thing. So more likely the market will be flooded with super cheap cocaine, (unless the Cartels buy and stockpile like DeBeers). So maybe the cheapness of cocaine means that it will become as plentiful as opium in China in the 19th century, further compounding South America’s troubles by making the drug extremely cheap and widely available. In fact, the Cartels could simply reduce the amount of refining and just sell the cheaper Coca paste, which is smoked like crack. In fact, it’s more toxic and more addictive than crack cocaine. Cheap coca paste could be the product shipped overseas to third world markets, like Africa, where the drug is used to control and motivate troops.
Republic of Columbia:
Prewar Population: >42,000,000
Prewar Population Density: 40/km2
Prewar per capita income: $7,565
Prewar Literacy: 92.5%
Prewar Demographics: Mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
Prewar Infrastructure: 101 paved airports, 883 unpaved airports, railways 3,304 km rail, 26,000 km paved roadways, 84,000 km unpaved roadways, 7 ports.
Prewar Land Use/Crops: arable land: 2.01%, permanent crops: 1.37%, 9,000 sq km irrigation/ coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp
Prewar Energy Production:
Fossil Fuels: ?
Hydroelectric: ?
Other: ?
Prewar Energy Reserves: petroleum, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric.
Prewar Resources/Industries: iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds/ textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds.
Post War Casualties Summer 2000:?
Colombia is submerged in a civil war. There is no central authority. Country is divided between the remnants of the pre-war government, armed revolutionary groups (FARC and ELN), right wing self-defense organizations (AUC), and even local opportunistic warlords. The drug cartels’ power has waned since the collapse of the international distribution network for cocaine. The Medellin and Cali cartels went into decline and now barely control their cities of origin. The North Valley Cartel is now the most powerful cartel in the country and is the AUC’s primary backer. The FARC and ELN are supported by Cuba and Venezuela. Forced conscription into the various factions’ armies (especially of children) is common. The civil war has displaced millions and led to the deaths of millions more due to disruptions the food supply and the collapse of the medical system. Cholera and Typhoid Fever outbreaks are common in urban areas. With no national distribution of power, potable water, medical care or food, Columbia is as battered as Poland, only without the fallout, persistent chemicals, and large mechanized military forces.