How to Evaluate Mexico’s War on Drugs?
Drug-related murders in Mexico have soared in the last two months. Municipal, state, and federal police officers have died in clashes against heavily armed commandos or have been assassinated on the orders of drug bosses. It has been argued that this rise in violence is a signal of the Mexican government’s progress in the War Against Drugs. The argument is that cartels, while retreating, have launched a series of desperate attacks on police forces. This “measure of progress” has been complemented by some dramatic drug and cash seizures.
These events have contributed to the recent advance of the Merida Initiative in the US Congress—both the Senate and the House have approved bills that include aid to Mexico, although they still have to agree on a single bill. But is Mexico receiving aid because its forces are doing really well and need further support to win the battle with the cartels or is the country doing so badly that it needs urgent assistance before it loses the War on Drugs? Carrying out the world’s largest cash seizure has definitively contributed to victory over drugs, but losing the chief of federal police has not, specially since this highlights the government’s inability to protect its main strategists and operatives against drug cartels.
The fact is that Mexico needs help to curve ubiquitous violence across the country and strengthen, professionalize, and protect the law enforcement agencies leading the War on Drugs. Indeed, not only are police officers resigning but also asking for asylum in the US. Furthermore, the country’s general population is now affected by drug consumption and fear caused by cartel members roaming through rural towns close to the trafficking routes.
In short, in a multi-front war against drug trafficking and consumption, the Mexican government’s efforts seem to be mixed. In order to recover the confidence of the population and the aid of foreign actors like the US Congress, the Mexican government must reach higher standards, particularly when it comes to the status of the police forces and their members.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
The rise in violence does not necessarily mean progress. It is just simply a rise in violence due to the drug war. If they continue escalating the war on drugs violence will continue to escalate and NEVER be reduced. As long as there is a huge demand for drugs in the US there will always be people willing to provide them. The drug war is a waste of money and lives. The only real solution is to legalize drugs. I don’t know when the US government and the Calderon goverment will realize that legalization is the ONLY solution. Mark my words and wait and see that I am right. Let’s see if the drug war will be won by next year, and let’s see if the violence will be reduced. You will see that violence will not be reduced and that the drug war will never be won. When will some people get this through their thick head.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:47 pm
[…] Mexico City’s International Airport is a good representative of the current trends in the fight against drugs in Mexico. Indeed, the airport is a window to the escalating conflict that involves the federal government and its allies—including the US government—as well as drug trafficking organizations that dare to smuggle thousands of cocaine doses through the gates of one of the most important airports in the world. […]
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:23 pm
What if the war on drug consumption in the US was similarly militarized, intense and relentless- THAT might make a difference…just a thought. One need not fill up the jails anymore, just fine drug consumption out of existence. I think that’d be better, and would provide lots of nice tax income.
I’d prefer for a rational policy designed to legalize, regyulate and drug drug consumption of course, but that’s probably no more realistic.
What these two solutions have in common, of course, is that they both go at the problem at the root, consumer demand. Picking on individual consumers is also probably better because most won’t create and fund potent paramilitary organizations to resist, unlike supplyers.
July 5th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Mr Stranger,
once again I agree. It is unfortunate that those propositions are way too unrealistic. Nevertheless, there might be some other solution that tackles the root problem, that is, the demand for drugs.
July 8th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I definitely agree that the problem lies with drug demand in the US. The Drug Enforcement Agency’s approach is to target the major drug dealers, rather than the individual users.