Policing the Amazon

This edited collection discusses the rule of law in the Amazon and the capabilities of the region’s sovereign states to police their territory considering security matters. Comprised of nine countries, including a European Union member, the Amazon region features states facing political instability, poverty, social inequalities, high levels of corruption, and lack of trust by their populations. This context is aggravated by the presence of criminal organizations operating there and shaping transnational bonds. Notably, the world’s foremost cocaine-producing countries―Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia―are located in the region, presenting related turmoil and instability. Moreover, as home to the largest rainforest on Earth and the widest biodiversity, the region is an object of concern due to environmental reasons. The protection of these natural resources as well as the traditional peoples living there is intertwined with issues of development, security, and policing.

The book delves into questions on the international agenda, such as: how is it possible to sustain the rule of law in the Amazon? What are the states’ capabilities for controlling the territory and enforcing the law? How do these states deal with the growing urban violence in the region? What are the capabilities of public authorities for proposing laws and policies, and judicial systems to process, prevent, and suppress different crimes such as drug dealing, smuggling, human trafficking, terrorism, and environmental crimes?

The book fills a gap in English-language scholarship exploring the context of the rule of law in the Amazon and the impact on policing activities. It is ideal for a wide range of audiences, including policing scholars, law enforcement and community leaders, and students focusing on criminal justice and the Amazon.

Vicente Riccio holds a doctorate in Sociology from Instituto Universitário de Pesquisas do Rio de Janeiro and was the coordinator of the graduate program of Law and Innovation at Federal University of Juiz de Fora (2017–2023), Brazil. He also has worked as a consultant for many public institutions in Brazil, such as the Ministry of Justice, Public Security Secretary of Rio de Janeiro, and Civil Police of Amazonas. His research interests are police reform, legal systems in developing democracies, media, justice, and video evidence. He has organized Police and Society in Brazil (Routledge) book, coedited with Wesley Skogan (Northwestern University). He has also published articles and book chapters in international and Brazilian publications.

Guilherme Lopes da Cunha holds a Postdoctoral in International Relations at the University of Brasília (UnB), PhD, and MA in International Political Economy at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He is a Professor at the Brazilian War College (ESG), and the Brazilian Defense College (ESD), at the Ministry of Defense of Brazil. He has organized Brazil in the Geopolitics of Amazonia and Antarctica (Lexington Books), coedited with Fábio Albergaria de Queiroz (Brazilian Defense College), and Ana Flávia Barros-Platiau (University of Brasilia).