The Legacy of the AK-47 in Latin America After Kalashnikov's Death Danielle Restuccia - VOXXI
go to original December 24, 2013

Mikhail Kalashnikov was the inventor of the world's most successful assault rifle - the AK47. His famous weapon was both a symbol of Russian national pride and synonymous with murder for more than half a century. (Al Jazeera)

Though the AK-47’s inventor, Mikhail Kalashnikov, has passed away, the assault rifle’s long-standing role in Latin America continues.

Many guerillas in Latin America, including the FARC rebels, have made the Kalashnikov a kind of symbol for their fight. Mikhail Kalashnikov created the automatic weapon for the Soviet Union in the early 1940s, hoping to fend off a German invasion, but Businessweek reports that the AK-47 has been used in 40 or more of the 60 large armed conflicts since 1945.

From Venezuela to Brazil to Chile, the Kalashnikov has played – and continues to play – a central role in the region’s politics and violent encounters.

The AK-47 and guerilla warfare

Both in Latin America and elsewhere, the AK-47 is often chosen for its ease of use and low maintenance needs, becoming a “symbol of revolution around the world,” according to the BBC.

The extended conflict between the Colombian government and FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) is a prime example of how the assault weapon has come to stand for guerrilla warfare tactics and revolutionaries. FARC members make regular use of AK-47 assault rifles, training women, men, and even children in its use. The gun is used to combat government troops both in Colombia and along the country’s borders.

Kalashnikovs also figure prominently in the drug war across Mexico and southern California, with narcotraffickers posing with their AK-47s for photo shoots and music CD covers. In fact, the “narco” genre of music, glorifying violent battles between drug cartels and kingpins, is one of the most popular Latin music genres at the moment, as reported by NY Daily News.

Narco singers like El Komander go so far as to carry assault weapons onstage during shows, as well as filming music videos brimming with Kalashnikovs.

Read the rest at VOXXI

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