The Mission 2011-04-10 23-28-00

The documentary “Cocaine Cowboys” focuses on the role cocaine played in the city of Miami in the 70’s and 80’s. The film gives true accounts of events from former drug runners Mickey Munday and Jon Roberts. Roberts and Munday were notable smugglers with connections to both the columbian and cuban sides of the Miami drug trade. They had developed many clever ways to run drugs into the country, and after a few years had earned multiple millions of dollars. But as time progressed the violence resulting from cocaine had produced enough heat from law enforcement which ensured the groups operation would soon be discovered. After a former partner ratted the group out law enforcement arrested both Roberts, Monday, as well as a few others.

The other aspect the film focuses on is the role the columbian crime organizations played in the control and distribution of cocaine in Miami. The film producers interview former columbian enforcer Jorge Ayala who is serving life in prison for murder. Ayala represents the image of the Columbian forces perfectly. He killed for money and was notorious for never failing to collect debts. Another interesting way Ayala fits the stereotype for a columbian enforcer perfectly is the fact that he committed his many all of his atrocities simply for money.

The Colleta Youngers document gives a summery of the failures of the United States war on drugs, and how it has promoted elicit activity amongst impoverished people in Latin countries notable for drug production. The document relays to “Cocaine Cowboys” and the Miami crisis in the late 70’s and 80’s in the fact that the reward for involving oneself in the drug business is more satisfying than pursuing other careers available To poor Latinos. The document gives a solid alternative to the useless policies currently being used by promoting ideas such as drug prevention.

The other reading gives excerpts from emails sent from CIA officials concerning a the Iran-Contra scandal in the 1980’s. It tells of how The CIA allowed for drug organizations to raise money from drug sales to support war. The information from the reading shows that bad policies with short term benefits over-ruled long term prosperity.

Overall the documentary “cocaine cowboys” shows how drug money can disrupt social order. Poorer Citizens are vulnerable to committing horrible acts because of the reward from the drug business. The movie shows how we must find new ways to fight drug use other than enforcement. Though the thought of legalization is far from achievable it could one day be an actual possibility