Mexico's drug war, time to change strategies

The most recent massacres of young people in Ciudad Juárez (Friday) and at a rehabilitation center in Tijuana Sunday night must be a troubling sign for the Mexican government.

These despicable acts are a clear indication that the government’s strategy to fight organized crime has not done anything to the structures of criminal organizations. The flow of drugs continues, the “capos” are still free and the violence has spilled everywhere. 

If the country were a company, the CEO’s would have already fired the administrators because of their failure to meet their goals. But a country is not a company, and it is much more complicated to fire the politicians in charge.

One would think that after the new tragedies of Juárez and Tijuana, it is time to review the government’s strategy and take it in another direction.

What choices do government officials have? Probably not many, but at least two extreme, complicated and controversial possibilities come to mind. One is to negotiate with the cartels and the other one is the legalization of drugs.

Negotiation:  Several studies done in the U.S. and in Mexico have shown the increasing role that the drug trade is having in Mexico’s economy.

Stratfor, an intelligence-consulting company, produced a report called “Mexico and the failed state revisited,” which concluded that while drugs have reshaped Mexico’s institutions dramatically, they have also benefited Mexico’s economy in a significant way. The report also indicates that the amount of money pouring into Mexico annually due to the drug trade is stunning. It is estimated to be from $35 billion to $40 billion each year.

"On the whole, Mexico is a tremendous beneficiary of the drug trade. Even if some of the profits are invested oversea, the pool of remaining money flowing into Mexico creates tremendous liquidity in the Mexican economy at a time of global recession". the report stated.

The influx of drug-related money into the Mexican economy is not a new phenomenon. It has been this way since the time of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), which ruled Mexico for 70 years until 2000, when the Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) won the presidential election. The drug cartels were not born with Felipe Calderon’s administration. They have been in Mexico for a long time, but the country did not experience this kind of bloodshed because there were tacit agreements between the cartels and the government.

As much as it hurts, the reality is that cartels are not going to disappear as a result of Calderon’s war and the money coming from drugs will continue flowing into Mexican economy. What would the country lose if its authorities sat down and negotiated new terms for the drug trade?

Legalization:  There is no way that the U.S.’s appetite for drugs is going to end soon.  The U.S. is still the world’s main consumer of drugs and Mexico is its main supplier. Legalization would change the patterns of supply and consumption and in theory it would order a market that operates under its own violent rules. However, if the U.S. doesn’t move into the legalization direction, Mexico won’t do it either.  This is something that both countries should do together.

The people of California will decide on Proposition 19 on Nov. 2, which if approved would authorize cities and counties to produce and sell marijuana for recreational use. The idea behind the proposal is that the legalization of drugs will bring the cost down and will reduce the incentive to smuggle the drug. It will also create a regulated market for consumers.

California’s decision during the election will be a test for the U.S. on that particular issue and, depending on its outcome, it could create a political challenge to the rest of the states.

I understand that these two choices have endless complications that would be difficult if not impossible to implement. But with the state of despair that many Mexicans–myself included–find themselves in, it is better to propose something, just about anything, than remain silent when we see more and more people being brutally killed every single day.

 

 

Comments

[Greg Meyers]

I really wish more of the population would think logically about the issue of legalization. The idea is absurd to so many but I cannot possibly think how it is any more absurd than the thousands of lives that have been lost in the drug war. But as long as Americans, and sadly even El Pasoans are living life cozy, why should they care about something that is out of sight and out of mind. The apathy is startling.

[Irma Rosa]

There are several things the Mexican government is not doing: going after the drug related money (money laundering) and the narco-related politicians. The "war", as posed till now, won´t have any effects if the cartels don´t see their economic power threatened, and their political protection dismantled.

[D Big Kahunna]

Balderdash!
You forget the thing that WOULD stop this nonsense.
ARM MEXICAN CITIZENS.
Until the cartels AND the Mexican ruling elite fear an armed population, this killing will continue. Neither side cares what happens to the innocent

[cluadia]

omq we shou;d help people from mexico becuz ma family livves over there

[pgillenw]

Finally some one admits that the Cartels and the flow of drugs benefits the coffers of the Gov't of the failed State of Mexico. However I am tired of the blaming of America. I believe the drug trade extends beyond the U.S. Calderon made an official statement against the proposition in California that would have legalized marijuana why because of the dollars they would have lost. If you add to the billions Mexico receives from drug money along with the remittances sent from the U.S. America hiring its Illegals, providing education and healthcare to its masses I would say Mexico is doing quite well. Mexico is more than willing to sacrifice its citizens.

Time for the peoples of Mexico to arm themselves and rise up against the Cartels and the Mexican Gov't instead of protesting in America and blaming her. Gee for what we do for Mexico we could pay down our national debt.

Legalizing drugs is not the answer. Criminalizing the failed state of Mexico is and placing sanctions against its Gov't and forcing U.S. companies to return to America would help. If the U.S. would help to arm the Mexican citizen to take back their country is also a good plan.