International Security and New Threats: Securitisation and Desecuritisation of Drug Trafficking at the Brazilian Borders

Abstract

The expansion of the security agenda was at the basis of the emergence of new theoretical concepts in the field of studies on international security. One example is the concept of securitisation, developed by the Copenhagen School, which makes it possible to examine, on the one hand, new threats to the security of countries and, on the other hand, the policies through which they seek to address them. Based on this concept, the article argues that drug trafficking was securitised by the Brazilian government in the period of 2011-2016. From 2016, with the issue of Decree nº 8903, the matter returned to the stage of ‘politicisation’ as understood by the Copenhagen School. The decree marked, therefore, a process of desecuritisation of the issue in Brazil, since it revoked the Strategic Border Plan, resulting in the loss of the temporary and emergency nature of the ‘Ágata’ operations. This article analyses the development of Brazilian legislation since 1976 on this matter and carries out, for the period 2011 to 2016, content analysis of the narrative on securitisation. In addition, this work examines the guidelines and nature of the Brazilian government’s public policies aimed at combating drug trafficking.

La lucha por el territorio ancestral continental de los guaraníes transfronterizos en América del Sur

“…Los pueblos guaraníes reclaman a los Estados brasileño, paraguayo, boliviano y argentino la urgente necesidad de definir una política territorial compartida para la protección de estos pueblos y sus territorios. Estos pueblos indígenas han sido críticos con las políticas adoptadas por los actuales gobiernos de estos países, especialmente en el caso de Brasil, donde el reconocimiento de las tierras indígenas y los parques nacionales ha servido mucho más para inscribir los territorios indígenas en "políticas de securitización" (Silva & Pereira, 2019), expoliación de territorios (Harvey, 2004), explotación de recursos naturales e integración, por asimilación, con la cultura nacional, todo ello en nombre de la soberanía nacional. Para el reconocimiento de tierras/territorios, la dotación de derechos y la ampliación de la ciudadanía, los guaraníes que habitan estos territorios originarios en zonas fronterizas reclaman la condición de pueblos transterritoriales y transfronterizos.…”

Assessing Theoretical Frameworks, Human Resources Management Implications and Emerging Technologies on the Water, Energy and Food (WEF) Nexus

“…This was also confirmed by the study of Staupe -Delgado [121], which also opined that the security of the three resources is based on the securitization process of the securitization theory. This concept of securitization theory has been applied beyond the traditional military field into different areas of human endeavor like nuclear proliferation [15]; HIV/ AIDS [80]; Environmental degradation [41]; Drug Trafficking [117]; and Government stability [138].…”

“…The securitization theory by the school was borne out of the discontent towards the inflexibility of the realism theory, where military aspects and only state are considered matters of security and this discontentment was further stimulated by the Economic agendas and intercontinental environment agendas of the 1980s and 1970s [117]. Hence, Buzan, et al, [17] stated that issues are classified as security issues because security "takes politics beyond the established rules of the game and frames the issue either as a special kind of politics or above politics," where an issue can be classified as politicized, non -politicized or securitized.…”

“…Hence, Buzan, et al, [17] stated that issues are classified as security issues because security "takes politics beyond the established rules of the game and frames the issue either as a special kind of politics or above politics," where an issue can be classified as politicized, non -politicized or securitized. Buzan, et al, [17], as cited by E Silva & Pereira [117] opined that this process is the securitization theory process, which is explained in the following concept;…”

“…Furthermore, Buzan, et al, [17] emphasized that the securitization of an issue depends on three (3) indispensable components: identifying and classifying a threat as existential; legitimizing the suspension of laws, and adopting emergency actions. Moreover, according to E Silva & Pereira [117], the securitization theory has three operational categories, which are;…”