Guatemalan drug lords are burning forests to land planes
Guatemalan drug lords are burning forests to land planes
Agence France-Presse
June 07, 2016 · 12:15 PM EDT
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The Peten jungle is seen in this aerial picture near the border with Belize on Nov. 23, 2007.
Credit:
Daniel LeClair /Reuters
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Drug traffickers burning down Guatemalan forest to make clandestine landing strips for planes carrying US-bound cocaine have razed an area twice the size of Manhattan this year, officials say.
The Central American country has declared a state of emergency over the fires ravaging its forests, which have hit hardest along its northern border with Mexico and Belize — prime territory for drug gangs.
The region, known as Peten, is known for the riches lying in its forests, including the Maya Biosphere Reserve and archaeological treasures such as the ancient city of Tikal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
But those dense forests are also strategically placed hideouts for cartels trafficking cocaine from South America to the United States, officials say.
More:
http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-06-07/guatemalan-drug-lords-are-burning-forests-land-planes
LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141480362
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