Drugs and violence: Mexico's addiction

[Bullfighter]

Waves of killings blamed on drug cartels are continuing to sweep Mexico. Here, Mexican political scientist Eduardo Guerrero Gutierrez examines the reasons for the violence and the prospects for the future.​

Continue reading the main story MEXICO'S DRUGS WARCharting Mexico's violence [/news/world-latin-america-11174174] Battling the cartels [/news/10275565] On patrol in Ciudad Juarez [/2/hi/americas/8362459.stm] 'Family values' of drug gang [/2/hi/americas/8319924.stm]
Drug-related violence in Mexico has killed nearly 30,000 people in the first 45 months of the current government, and its fast increase has been unstoppable.

If the killings continue to increase at the current rate that total will rise to about 75,000 by the time the government's term in office ends in December 2012.

The government's stance against the growing number of casualties in the war on drugs has been to emphasise the inevitability of violence.

In a recent interview, President Felipe Calderon said: "I wish there was less violence, but - being honest - that is not foreseeable in the short term, in which high levels of violence will remain. Violence will decline over the medium and long terms."

A particularly frustrating aspect of the government's war against organised crime is that - despite its high cost in terms of human lives - the war has not led to the decline of kidnappings, extortion and human trafficking.

In addition, frequent arrests of drug lords have had three highly detrimental effects: an increase in the number of criminal organisations (given the divisions that these arrests cause within a cartel); higher levels of violence; and territorial expansion of organised crime (which involves the invasion of new spaces).

Read more:
BBC News - Drugs and violence: Mexico's addiction

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I don't need a professor to tell me that a large percentage of Mexicans are violent animals. They prove it everyday. And these same people sneak into the US and will eventually destroy it if America does not strike back soon.

 

[Douger]

They aren't addicted to drugs. Just money.
You idiots are the drug addicts.
Demand and supply. You demand. They supply. The fight is over who gets to supply the empires addicts first.

 

[Angelhair]

Nah - YOU supply - THEY demand. Which came first? The chicken or the egg? Maybe I should ask Hillary.

 

[Nate]

When there's such a high demand here in the US, how can you blame the criminals? This is why we should legalize at least marijuana, so much senseless suffering will end.

Only problem with taking away one way these criminal organizations make their money is they will find other things to do to replace that lost income... Whether it be another more dangerous narcotic or they join the cause of other terrorist groups around the world. We're already seeing some of these Cartels adopting the terror tactics of these radical ME groups.

 

[Angelhair]

Let's see - if the drug producers stopped producing illegal drugs I would think that the drug users would stop using - makes sense to me. The idiot presidents from other countries seem to focus on just the drug users but leave the drug producers out of the loop. Could it be that a lot of the money made from producing these drugs go into the pockets of the higher ups in those corrupt countries? Gees, what a concept.

 

[WillowTree]

When there's such a high demand here in the US, how can you blame the criminals? This is why we should legalize at least marijuana, so much senseless suffering will end.

bull fucking shit. you idiot.

 

[Nate]

Let's see - if the drug producers stopped producing illegal drugs I would think that the drug users would stop using - makes sense to me. The idiot presidents from other countries seem to focus on just the drug users but leave the drug producers out of the loop. Could it be that a lot of the money made from producing these drugs go into the pockets of the higher ups in those corrupt countries? Gees, what a concept.

CERTAINLY!! Just like a majority of Mexico's economy rides on the illegals sending money back home another large part of it is due to the manufacturing of narcotics;

But the United States contends that the company in Zapopan is not what it seems. The U.S. Treasury put Grupo Collins on a black list in 2008, saying the firm supplies a small drug cartel in western Mexico with chemicals needed to make methamphetamines.

Grupo Collins, which has denied any connection to organized crime, is one of dozens under suspicion of laundering money for the nation's booming drug business, whose growing economic impact now pervades just about every level of Mexican life.

Mexican cartels, which control most of the cocaine and methamphetamine smuggled into the United States, bring an estimated $25 billion to $40 billion into Mexico from their global operations every year.

To put that in perspective: Mexico probably made more money in 2009 moving drugs than it did exporting oil, its single biggest legitimate foreign currency earner.

From spas to banks, Mexico economy rides on drugs | Reuters

 

[Epsilon Delta]

Ah, Mexico's situation is quite delicate and is already having a huge impact in the region. There's been a slew of articles recently of major advancements; they've been managing to kill some big bosses, but of course others are stepping up to take their place. On the whole the strategy cannot be called a "success" though there are nevertheless some successes and the mark of this is the following

- Due to Calderon's calling out the army and the virtual martial law that has become the norm over many major cities, the criminals are moving further south to the even weaker states of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, El Salvador and Honduras have the highest murder per capita rates in the world; even higher than Mexico and Venezuela; and it is increasing alarmingly as more and more cartel-soldiers reconstruct operations south of Mexico.

This is a bad sign. Though you may think Mexico is totally incompetent and incapable of dealing with the Cartels, they're a goliath in comparison to the three "Northern Triangle" countries (Guat, Sal, and Hon). The higher risks of transporting to the US from these countries will undoubtedly raise the praise and make it even more lucrative, in turn making the problem worse for these countries which can barely hold together now.

These three countries, along with Nicaragua which is also feeling the effects, showcase even weaker democracies and institutions than Mexico; their armies are already on full force patrolling the streets, harking back to the dark wars of the 80s and bringing a feeling to societal militarization that may leave a lasting impact while simultaneously not solving the problem.

There's simply not enough money, not enough growth, and not enough recovery, especially now during the recession for us to deal with this ourselves. The only way to deal with this is through an entire regionally integrated effort, spearheaded by the US, to not only help Mexico but provide a clear strategy in the entire Central American region: it should be based first on and foremost on limited legalization to undercut prices, increased aid to police and customs agencies, and support the process of economic and political integration that Central America has been hoping for. Only united, all 7-8 countries can we deal with it with any hope of success.

 

[Bullfighter]

Ah, Mexico's situation is quite delicate and is already having a huge impact in the region. There's been a slew of articles recently of major advancements; they've been managing to kill some big bosses, but of course others are stepping up to take their place. On the whole the strategy cannot be called a "success" though there are nevertheless some successes and the mark of this is the following

- Due to Calderon's calling out the army and the virtual martial law that has become the norm over many major cities, the criminals are moving further south to the even weaker states of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, El Salvador and Honduras have the highest murder per capita rates in the world; even higher than Mexico and Venezuela; and it is increasing alarmingly as more and more cartel-soldiers reconstruct operations south of Mexico.

This is a bad sign. Though you may think Mexico is totally incompetent and incapable of dealing with the Cartels, they're a goliath in comparison to the three "Northern Triangle" countries (Guat, Sal, and Hon). The higher risks of transporting to the US from these countries will undoubtedly raise the praise and make it even more lucrative, in turn making the problem worse for these countries which can barely hold together now.

These three countries, along with Nicaragua which is also feeling the effects, showcase even weaker democracies and institutions than Mexico; their armies are already on full force patrolling the streets, harking back to the dark wars of the 80s and bringing a feeling to societal militarization that may leave a lasting impact while simultaneously not solving the problem.

There's simply not enough money, not enough growth, and not enough recovery, especially now during the recession for us to deal with this ourselves. The only way to deal with this is through an entire regionally integrated effort, spearheaded by the US, to not only help Mexico but provide a clear strategy in the entire Central American region: it should be based first on and foremost on limited legalization to undercut prices, increased aid to police and customs agencies, and support the process of economic and political integration that Central America has been hoping for. Only united, all 7-8 countries can we deal with it with any hope of success.

Mexico is a toilet. Burn it down!