Policing the Amazon: Why the Rule of Law Is Crucial for the Future

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 on 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 For a (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, 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 is an Adjunct Professor at the Brazilian War College (ESG), and a Collaborating Professor at the Brazilian Defense College (ESD) from the Brazilian Ministry of Defense. Associate Researcher in the Projects ＂Critical Analysis of Judicial Decisions Relating to Environmental Crimes in the Amazon: the case of Apuí and Lábrea＂, and ＂Prospective for Security and Defense＂ (PROCAD-DEFESA), supported by the Brazilian Ministries of Defense and Education. He holds Postdoctoral Studies in International Relations (2021-2023) at the University of Brasilia, PhD (2017) and MA (2013) in International Political Economy at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and Bachelor of Laws (2005) at the Catholic University of Petrópolis. Executive Committee Member and Section Program Chair of the Interdisciplinary Studies Section (IDSS) at the International Studies Association (ISA)