Main social problems in Colombia

 1. Corruption

Corruption is one of the most urgent social problems facing Colombia. This is obvious not only in government but also in the practice of many multinational companies. One of the most memorable corruption cases was that the banana companies (mainly the American Chiquita Banana Brands) provided funds for the paramilitary groups, which occurred between 1996 and 2004.

Chiquita Brands has established illegal relationships with paramilitary groups to illegally control the labor movement: basically, due to the terrorist attacks by armed groups, the formation of trade unions and the right to social protest are prohibited. Subsequent investigations into the matter revealed that US multinational corporations have transferred more than $ 1.7 million to Colombian paramilitary forces. In 2007, Chiquita Brands admitted to financing paramilitary groups and was fined $ 25 million.

2. Drug addiction

Drug addiction is a problem that mainly affects Colombian youth. The increase in drug addiction rates in Colombia is due in large part to the control of drug trafficking abroad, which makes the manufacturers of these hallucinogenic substances look for alternatives in the country's internal market. The majority of Colombian drug users are between 10 and 24 years old. The most widely used narcotics are cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and some prescription drugs. Drug use not only affects personal health, but also aggravates other social problems, such as crime, desertion, unemployment, etc.

3. Education

The education and well-being of children and adolescents is usually one of the main concerns of Colombians. Until now, the resources allocated to training are insufficient to meet the needs of a good educational system. Public offerings are insufficient and private schools are quite expensive for most citizens, so many minors are forced to stop receiving the most complete education. For example, 300,000 students graduate each year and then cannot receive higher education. This leads to a stalemate in research or low-skilled people entering their positions. In the worst case, school dropout leads young people to choose a more vulgar and less ethical way of life (crime, drug addiction, prostitution, etc.).