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Mexican Drug Cartels

Abstract

As the countrys attention remains focused on the Covid-19 global pandemic which continues to ravage the nations health and economy, it is easy to overlook the profound threat represented by Mexican drug cartels. Indeed, some authorities estimate that as many as one hundred thousand people have died in drug cartel conflicts since 2006, and this figure does not take into account the tens of thousands of American lives that are lost in the federal governments ill-fated war on drugs. Against this backdrop, it is reasonable to question why tens of billions of scarce taxpayer dollars continue to be spent on a war that is claiming thousands of American lives each year without any substantive return on these investments. The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the relevant literature concerning Mexican drug cartels to identify the extent of the problem, its primary antecedent causes, and what steps have been taken in recent years to combat these violent international drug organizations. Finally, in recognition that these past efforts have largely been ineffective in stopping Mexican drug cartels, an analysis of potential solutions is followed by a summary of the research and key findings concerning these issues in the papers conclusion.

Mexican Drug Cartels: Present Danger, Future Threat

Today, Mexico shares one of the worlds longest borders with the United States and is one of its largest trading partners (Mexico economy, 2020). Despite some political wranglings over immigration policies, the United States and Mexico have enjoyed an excellent relationship over the years and current indications suggest that this solid relationship will remain in place well into the foreseeable future. Notwithstanding these trends, however, there are still some major challenges facing both countries in terms of violent gangs of narco-traffickers known as Mexican drug cartels that continue to generate billions of dollars in criminal proceeds while simultaneously exacting an enormous toll in human lives. To determine the facts and what can be done, the purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the relevant literature concerning Mexican drug cartels to identify the extent of the problem, its primary antecedent causes, and what steps have been taken in recent years to combat these violent international drug organizations. Finally, in recognition that these past efforts have largely been ineffective in stopping Mexican drug cartels, an analysis of potential solutions is followed by a summary of the research and key findings concerning these issues in the papers conclusion.

Review and Analysis

Background and overview

In many ways, criminal elements in Mexico are well situated to take advantage of the market represented by the 300 million citizens of the United States. For instance, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency...

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Although precise figures are unavailable, some authorities have estimated that Mexican drug cartels have already claimed the lives of more than 60,000 people in Mexico, one of Americas most important trading and strategic partners. To place this alarming figure into context, this estimate indicates that about one person dies every hour due to Mexican drug cartel-related violence (Rizer, 2015). Even more troubling still, other observers suggest that these estimates are far too low and fail to take into account the deaths that go unreported each year, meaning that the actual figures may be twice as high or even greater (Rizer, 2015)....

…violence is possible, attacking the United States rising revenue of drug-trafficking should incentivize violent drug-trafficking organizations away from using violence to advance their drug-trafficking agendas. Law enforcement authorities would need to understand the violent drug-trafficking organizations revenue portfolios to estimate how responsive agencies might attack revenues and measure the approachs cost-effectiveness.

Successful implementation of these policies needs sophisticated intelligence (Bonner, 2010). While there is some evidence that both Mexico and the United States possess the ability to get this intelligence, this ability would likely require to be expanded and refined. The necessary enforcement and administrative infrastructures that appear to be in place in the United States, through resources, would require to be reallocated, and extra funding might be necessary. In the United States, there is popularity in policies targeting drug flows because of the perception that they reduce drug intake-a change towards violence minimization would need intensive outreach for stakeholders education. In Mexico, present distrust in the Government would need public and clear communication about the Mexican authorities role and target selection in the United States enforcement side.

Several possible community impacts exist, and the Mexican and United States authorities would require to set up mechanisms for tracking trends and gathering information to address unintended negative impacts. The approach is timely-while President Pea Nieto of Mexico states that his administration will major on violence minimization. He has yet to bring out a strategy for attaining that goal. Adopting targeted enforcement in the United States would enable Mexican authorities to independently engage in parallel violence-minimization efforts besides pursuing other continuing social reforms (ONeil, 2009). Whether the United States was to adopt this targeted enforcement approach, a change towards a set of violent-focused trategies would send a message of support to Mexico's Government. Moreover, this could go a long way in solving the Mexican drug…