The drug war in Mexico has left more than 100,000 people dead in Mexico in just the past couple of years. “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera, the leader of the largest drug trafficking organization in Mexico and his capture grabs much attention in the media. Still, there are speculations if the drug war can really end just by capturing the leader. Drug gangs are active and have no fear of the law. The slaying of Gisela Mota, the mayor of Texmico, just one day after she took office is an example of dangers faced by the society and country. About 100 of the local elected officials and mayors have been assassinated, in strive against the country’s drug cartels (Planas 2016). Corruption is a widespread problem in Mexico, and this makes it difficult for the law enforcement and policymakers to tighten the noose against the drug traffickers. Mexico has registered a steady rise in the number of homicide victims since last year. This shows that the battle against drug and drug-related violence is not only difficult but long one.
According to Planas (2016), thousands of people have gone missing, and one famous example of forced disappearances in Mexico is the case of 43 rural teachers and college students who went missing. About 30,000 such forced disappearances have been registered in recent years. The US dictatorships of Latin America are often backed by the US, and most of the weapons used by Mexico drug cartels are trafficked from the United States. The corruption among cities and Mexican law enforcement are the major barrier towards the cooperation between the Mexican and US officials. Mexico hopes to fight crime and corruption by refurbishing its criminal justice system, improving the courts and by professionalizing the police. Still, those reforms are slow, and it will take many years to see the impact of those efforts and changes.
The speedy growth in Mexican drug cartel violence is important not just because of the dangers and risks it brings to the Mexican society, but also because of the way it is impacting the Mexican political system (Weeks 5), which is characterized by semi-authoritarian and undemocratic practices. The growth of drug trafficking organizations and drug-related violence is threatening the Mexican society. Can the drug war and violence in Mexico really be brought to an end? Moreover, if yes, then how? The essay looks at some possible arguments on the challenges that lie in the path.
Arrest the leader of the drug mafia “El Chapo” has ruled the largest drug cartels in Mexico for more than two decades. After breaking from the high-security prison for the second time, he now faces a possible extradition to the U.S. The drug lord says and correctly so that the Drug trafficking does not rely on just one person. Thus, even if he put behind bars for the rest of his life, the Drug trafficking will not come to an end, and the Sinaloa cartel will continue without him. “El Chapo” has made Sinaloa cartel a powerful and largest drug operation. It is actually a network of different organizations and with different people at the top. The system is run much more like a franchise and may parts of the organization run semi-independently.
Call in the military Mexican government’s approach drug war tactics and strategy is increasingly becoming surreal. Looking closer at Mexican drug war shows that there are no police or military forces present to protect the towns and a group of vigilantes known as auto defenses takes care of that (Kryt 2016). The townsfolk have lost faith in local police forces and state troopers. There is a wide disconnect between law enforcement in Mexico. According to them, autodefensas knew the area well and will be able to provide better protection as compared to state officers, who are generally considered corrupt. Massive military deployment cannot defeat the well-organized crime in Mexico.
Get more police on grounds
The Police Department in Mexico is already facing shrinking budgets and recession. There are very few recruits, and many are afraid to work in certain areas. Moreover, most of the police officials are stated to have joined hands with the local drug gangs. Moreover, the current police and justice systems are too weak and corrupt to fight the drug wars and enforce public order and security (Weeks 14).
The difficult questions and no solutions in sight
The success of El Chapo and his associates lies in the mass production and transport of illegal narcotics. This is what sets them apart from other organizations. They have diversified their income streams and become wealthier. Their side operations include human trafficking, kidnapping, prostitution rings, and extortion. Sinaloa cartel has diversified but remains focused on moving the illegal narcotics (Alfred 2016). The horizontal structure and distribution chain works of the Sinaloa cartel allows them to work in in many different countries, thus giving them an incredible amount of power and leverage. (Alfred 2016). They are able to regulate themselves with their local affiliates and incorporated them into their distribution chain.
When will the drug war end in Mexico is a tough question. It is time to rethink on Mexico’s border and relationship with the United States. The questions are too complicated to answer, and it is not easy to understand the Mexican drug cartel situation. The legal system needs to evaluate as to why there is so much money involved in the fundamental nexus to drug cartels. There is some basic economics involved here as there is a high incentive to smuggle drugs into the U.S. and it is easy to lure because of the lucrative profits. Things can be controlled by lowering the street price of drugs and raising the costs of smuggling. In general, enforcement will not work, and price of drugs can be lower only by legalizing them. This will raise the supply and lower their street price, and this will further reduce the profits involved in the drug cartel. Secondly, steps must be taken to curb corruption which is no less hazardous than violence. Democracy will thrive only when Mexico’s citizens are provided with a free press and the right to information as stated by Weeks (77). With a deepened democracy in Mexico, the progress of drug trafficking and related violence can certainly be curbed.
The violence because of the ongoing drug war is not just costing lives but forcing the majority of people to flee their homes. The warring cartels continue to fight to get more control for the routes into the lucrative U.S. drug market. The brutal street gangs force the business owners and residents to pay protection fees. The U.S. government pays millions of dollars to fight the drug war in Mexico but seldom criticizes the abuses committed by the security forces it finances (Planas 2015).
Conclusion
The rising violence in Mexico points out that current policies are not working, and there is a need to look for new solutions. Moreover, violence and force are certainly not the right solutions. The combined toll of the drug wars going on in Mexico has claimed more lives than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The extreme violence and great poverty endanger the lives of many more Mexicans until concrete solutions are found. The Mexican drug war cannot be handled on a battlefield or just by making some changes in policies. Solutions must be sought from the ground level and multiple angles. The Mexican government must make a concerted effort to defend democracy and journalists; that will further enforce the law and legal enforcement in the county. The U.S. needs to take some concrete steps in this direction. It is no secret that the US is the biggest consumer of drugs. Thus, if it did not buy drugs, there won’t be any drug cartels or drug wars. Till then it seems that unemployment, gangs, and drug use will continue to haunt Mexico.
Works Cited
Alfred, Charlotte. "Why The Capture Of ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Won’t Stop His Cartel." The Huffington. 2016. Web. 20 April. 2016.
Kryt, Jeremy. "Why the Military Will Never Beat Mexico's Cartels." .thedailybeast.. 2016. Web. 20 April. 2016.
Planas, Roque."Want To Reduce Illegal Immigration? End the Drug War." huffingtonpost. 2015. Web. 20 April. 2016.
Planas, Roque. "6 Things Going On In Mexico’s Drug War That Matter More Than El Chapo." The Huffington Post. 2016. Web. 20 April. 2016.
Weeks, Katrina M."The Drug War in Mexico: Consequences for Mexico's Nascent Democracy" Claremont McKenna College 1.1 (2011): 1-89. Print
