Mexican Drug War

1. Mexican Drug War Angela Barajas CaityEmbrey Michael Steel

2. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/22/us/BORDER.html What is Mexico dealing with?

3. Drug Cartels and Routes

4. The effects -Drug cartels in Mexico control approximately 70% of the foreign narcotics that flow into the United States. -35,286 people have been killed since 2006 in Mexico as a result of the turmoil caused by the cartels. -Drug trafficking its worth between 13.6 billion to $48.4 billion annually

5. Since February 2010, the major cartels have aligned in two factions, one integrated by the Juarez Cartel, Tijuana Cartel, Los Zetas and the Beltran-Leyva Caretel;; the other faction integrated by the Gulf Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel and La Familia Cartel.

6. Traffickers have resorted to extreme and non conventional measures to traffic. The last invention was a catapult found in Naco/ Tucson. Another catapult was found in Agua Prieta. The National Guard dismantled the operation.

7. Felipe Calderón Hinojosa was born in Michoacán, Mexico. Michoacán is the location of the most brutal drug cartel violence. Felipe Calderón

8. Before Calderón Entered Office Some cocaine and drugs seized from La FamiliaMichoacana during a raid. Violence increased from 2000 under President Vicente Fox. Fox sent small numbers of troops, mostly to the U.S.-Mexico border, to fight the cartels but had little success. There was a surge of violence in 2005 as the drug cartel La FamiliaMichoacana tried to establish itself in Michoacán.

9. This action is regarded as the first major operation against organized crime, and is generally viewed as the starting point of the war between the government and the drug cartels. Unlike the passive stance of the previous administration under Vicente Fox, Calderón entered office ready to combat drug violence. Calderón sent 6,500 troops into Michoacán upon entering office in December 2006.

10. Why the Change? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38565051/ns/world_news-americas/ Calderón is from a region of heavy violence; to him the cartel violence is personal. In 2010 Calderón said that the cartels seek "to replace the government" and "are trying to impose a monopoly by force of arms, and are even trying to impose their own laws."

11. http://www.unodc.org/pdf/crime/seventh_survey/7sv.pdf In Michoacán there were more than 20 homicides (on average) per 100,000 people in 2009. In some towns, this number exceeded 30.

12. Even though the violence has continued with more than 22,700 dead since Calderón took office, he has no regrets about being the first Mexican president to stand up to the cartels. Calderón blames previous administrations for turning a blind eye to the problem. He says they allowed drugs to infiltrate the domestic market and that trafficking is no longer limited to border smuggling.

13. Past Policies Policy of non-action Generally passive stance regarding cartel violence in the 1990s and early 2000s

14. Why Lack of Action in Past? Increasingly powerful cartels in past decade Escalation has been in past 5 years in particular Difficult to prosecute "because members of the cartels have infiltrated and corrupted the law enforcement organizations that are supposed to prosecute them, such as the Office of the Attorney General”

15. With Calderon’s Election Assumed office December 1, 2006 December 11, 2006: 6,500 federal troops to the state of Michoacán to end drug violence there – first major operation against organized crime; generally viewed as the starting point of the war between the government and the drug cartels

16. Further Actions • Now ~45,000 troops involved in addition to state and federal police forces • July 10, 2008: plans announced to double size of Federal Police • purging local police forces of corrupt officers • massive police recruiting and training effort

17. Policy Implications (U.S.) • Tourism– kidnappings, murders, etc • Drugs coming into US • Governors of Arizona and Texas  have asked federal government to send additional National Guard troops to help those already there in supporting local law enforcement efforts against drug trafficking • Increased their co-operation with U.S. street and prison gangs to expand their distribution networks within the U.S. • Mexican officials point out that the illicit drug trade is shared problem in need of a shared solution; remark that most financing for Mexican traffickers comes from U.S. consumers

18. Policy Implications (Mexico) • On people/cartel • Large banners over highways in cities around country. • Deteriorating security reducing GDP annually by 1% • Infiltrated and corrupted the Mexican federal government and the Mexican • 12 mayors & a candidate for governor killed in 2010 • Media- reporters, media sources • According to former Presidents of Brazil, Mexico, & Colombia, the U.S.-led drug war is pushing Latin America into a downward spiral; "the available evidence indicates that the war on drugs is a failed war"

19. Discussion Questions Do you think the government made the right move in acting so aggressively, or should they have tried to be less public about their actions given the tradition of inaction and the impacts the War has had on tourism, safety, etc? Do you think that Felipe Calderón is doing the right thing by continuing to take on the drug cartels even though his party is suffering politically? What kind social repercussions do you think people along the border are experiencing?