08-12-2016: Latin American Weekly Report

Argentina’s federal security ministry is taking the first steps towards President Mauricio Macri’s utopian objective of delivering a country “free from drug trafficking”. The security minister, Patricia Bullrich, celebrated a major anti-drug operation this week disbanding two criminal networks. She is also negotiating the purchase of at least four Shaldag class fast patrol boats from Israel for high speed interceptions along the Paraná river of vessels carrying marijuana from Paraguay. The real potential game changer for the Macri administration, however, is taking place not at home but in Paraguay’s congress where deputies are starting to debate the legalisation of marijuana for medicinal use.