10030. ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FACTORS IN THE LATIN AMERICAN DRUG TRADE. An examination of the underlying economic and political forces which make it virtually impossible for the Latin American nations to prevent the growing processing of illegal drugs. Reasons cited include the economic incentives presented to Third World nations, the weakness of Latin American governments to control production, and the contradictory messages sent by American foreign policy. Concludes that supply-side policies of eradication and intervention are doomed to failure. 31 pages, 42 footnotes, 20 bibliographic sources.