Organized Crime: The Expression of a Greater Problem

El Líbero, November 10, 2023

Organized crime would merely be the virus attacking the organism by exploiting its weaknesses; the underlying problem is structural.

When a virus enters an organism, its action is favored if it finds a weak defensive system. In that context, its impact is faster and more harmful. Fever appears, a sign that something is wrong. It is the organism as a whole that must respond. A similar situation occurs in Chile. The security crisis expressed in the increase in homicides is a profound issue that will not be resolved with plans for violence-free streets. The 10.2% increase in murder investigations, like fever, is the sign that alerts us that something is happening.

Experts quickly point to the arrival of organized crime; there is no doubt about it. However, organized crime would merely be the virus attacking the organism by exploiting its weaknesses; the underlying problem is structural.

For all actions to yield effective results that endure over time, a full understanding of the phenomenon being faced is required. Addressing the symptoms will not solve the problem. Technical aspects such as strengthening democracy, improving institutional action, reclaiming territory, or combating corruption must align with a political will to confront the underlying issue.

Reality has forced the government to abandon its program to address issues such as police protection and constitutional states of emergency in the south and north, leading them to deploy the Armed Forces from their barracks and declare that they will be relentless against crime. However, fundamentally, their convictions have not changed. The debate in the Chamber of Deputies regarding the veto on land usurpations is proof of this.

While the discomfort of a sector of the ruling party regarding the use of force is evident, reality pushes the other side to negotiate with the opposition to respond to citizens’ demands. However, neither side achieves a real approach to the phenomenon; they only confront the symptoms of a crisis that is advancing. Just as an antiviral reduces fever and alleviates discomfort but does not address the underlying immunological weakness, the government’s actions seek to improve the situation without addressing the structural problem that led to it.

In this sense, the case of foundations cannot be overlooked. It involves a ruling party, the head of the presidential advisors, and demonstrates the negligence of those who should be protecting democracy.Understanding organized crime involves comprehending the role that corruption plays in its development. Therefore, if there is a stated intention to combat it to provide security, cases like the one mentioned must be investigated and sanctioned, if necessary.

It should not be the opposition requesting the President to analyze the continuity of his chief advisor; it should be the President who addresses this matter. His commitment was to the country, its institutions, and its democracy, not to individuals. It is these concepts that must be strengthened and protected; otherwise, promises of security will be empty, and the virus will continue to advance.

Pilar Lizana
Researcher, AthenaLab

Source: El Líbero