Steven Hansberry
The Mexican Drug War
December 11, 2006-Mexican president Felipe
Calderón sends 6,500 federal troops to the state of
Michoacán Mexico in an attempt to end drug
related violence there.
This action by Calderón is regarded as the start of
the Mexican Drug War.
Since then, the number of Mexican troops has
increased to 45,000 and Calderón has declared
war on Mexican drug traffickers.
Violence continues to escalate.
Cartels
A drug cartel is commonly defined as any organization that is
developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling
drug trafficking operations.
Drug cartels originally emerged in Columbia during the 1970’s.
The original Columbian cartels had agreements with multiple
groups and organizations for the purpose of producing,
transporting, and selling illegal drugs.
Columbia’s Role
During the 1980’s and early 1990’s the U.S. significantly
stepped up its illegal drug enforcement funding, tactics, and
personnel, focused on stopping Columbian cartels.
These increases effectively shut down or slowed many of the
Columbian cartels smuggling routes.
Increased law enforcement in south Florida and the
Caribbean regions allowed the authorities to successfully
intercept increasing amounts of illegal Columbian drug
shipments.
Every shipment intercepted by authorities meant a loss of
millions for the Columbian cartels.
Columbia’s Role
Losing money, Columbian cartels began to explore new
strategies. They decided that Mexico would be the best
option being that it already had established drug trafficking
routes that were used to traffic mainly marijuana and opium.
Over time the redirection of illegal Columbian drug
shipments made Mexico the distribution hub for almost all
U.S. bound narcotics.
Mexican drug traffickers were now essentially sub-
contractors for Columbian cartels.
Creation of Mexican Drug Cartels
The creation of Mexican drug cartels can be attributed to Mexican
Judicial Federal Police agent Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, also
known as “The Godfather.”
During the 1980s Gallardo controlled almost all illegal drug trade
within Mexico and the corridors across the Mexico-USA border.
He began by smuggling marijuana and opium into the U.S., but he
quickly joined forces with Columbian based drug cartels and began
trafficking huge amounts of Columbian cocaine into the U.S.
After his operation grew too large for him to oversee on his own,
Gallardo decided to divide up his operation and appoint bosses to
operate each newly formed division.
The subdivisions of Gallardo’s original operation became known as
a “Mexican drug cartel.”
Ingredients For Violence
During the 1980’s the newly formed Mexican drug cartels were
making billions trafficking Columbian cocaine but wanted more.
In 1989, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo was arrested and charged with
murder. The imprisonment of Gallardo meant that his previously
formed divisions, headed by bosses appointed by him, were now
operating independently.
From this point on these independent divisions, now known as
Mexican drug cartels, became rivals.
The profit potential for the cartel that could assert its dominance
throughout Mexico was so enormous an ensuing war among cartels
and law enforcement was inevitable.
Violence has steadily worsened since then, and continues today as
Mexican cartels battle each other for control of the drug markets.
CURRENT STATUS
The Mexican Drug has reached its most volatile point thus
far.
This is the result of several factors
○ Increased cartel recruitment efforts
○ Employment of military-grade weaponry
○ Assistance from corrupt government officials and
agencies
Cartel Recruitment
Currently, recruitment efforts of the cartels have now begun
to reach across the border into the United States.
So far this year, ten El Paso citizens have been arrested in Ciudad
Juarez, Mexico on drug related charges.
Even worse, cartels have begun recruiting children to commit
their most sinister activities.
On November 12, 2010 Mexican Police arrested a twelve year-old boy in
Morelos Mexico who was thought to be an assassin of the “cartel del
pacifico sur.” Mexican police obtained a video of the twelve-year old
slitting the throats of his victims while threatening authorities.
Cartel Weaponry
The United States is the source of 95% of the firearms used by
cartels.
Most of the firearms that are illegally smuggled into Mexico are assault rifles
that are legally bought in the U.S. These firearms are commonly purchased
by women with have no criminal history.
After the purchase has been made the women then transfer the guns to
smugglers through boyfriends, relatives, and acquaintances. The guns are
then smuggled to Mexico.
Cartels are now using their financial means to acquire military
grade weaponry.
Mexican authorities continue to recover U.S. military weaponry at crime
scenes. These weapons range from the standard issue U.S. military rifle, the
M16, to anti-tank rockets and anti-personal grenades.
These weapons are have either been stolen from U.S. military
bases and then purchased on the black market, or they are
weapons left over from conflicts like Vietnam that were sold on
the black market in other countries
Corruption
Cartels use intimidation tactics and bribery to control law
enforcement officials.
Drug cartels bribe government officials to prosecute, or focus their
efforts, toward stopping specific rival drug cartels.
More disturbingly, cartels are paying agents of the Federal
Investigations Agency (AFI) to work as “enforcers.” These
“enforcers” do everything from arresting rival drug cartel
members to carrying out hits.
In December of 2005 nearly 1,500 AFI agents were under investigation
for suspected criminal activity related to drug trafficking.
Cartels have been very difficult for Mexican authorities to
prosecute due to the fact that they have so many members
of law enforcement on their payrolls.
Possible Solutions
Current Military Presence
Between December of 2006 and today Calderón has sent 45,000 Mexican
troops into 18 different Mexican states in an increased effort to stop the
cartels.
Reality is that the efforts of the government and military have only led to more
violence.
Many of Calderón’s supporters have begun to turn against his military
strategy. Most notably, former president Vicente Fox has publicly denounced
Calderón’s strategy.
Citizens of Mexico are losing faith in Calderón’s strategy as well, citing the
increase in violence as a direct result of the troop presence.
Simply put, Mexico may not have the man power or resources to fight the
cartels head on.
Possible Solutions
Mérida Initiative
Made into law by Congress in June of 2008, the Mérida Initiative
is legislation that describes a security plan between the United
States, Mexico, and countries of Central America with the goal of
stopping drug trafficking, organized crime, and money
laundering.
Provides a total of $1.3 billion to Mexico and Central America
over the course of three years.
○ Non-intrusive inspection equipment such as ion scanners, gamma ray
scanners, X-ray vans and canine units
○ Governmental telecommunication upgrades to secure sensitive
criminal information
○ 13 Helicopters and up to 4 transport aircraft
○ Equipment, training and community action programs in Central
American to promote anti-gang measures
○ Technical advice and training to strengthen government institutions
Possible Solutions
Mérida Initiative
Recently, the Obama administration along with President Calderon have
overhauled the Mérida Initiative. After funding heavily weighted toward
military and police equipment, future U.S. funding will focus more on law
enforcement and building up the Mexican justice system.
Possible Solutions
Eradication of Corruption in Mexican Government
Mexico has taken steps forward in an attempt to reduce government
corruption and bribery by Mexican cartels
The OECD-Latin America Anti-Corruption Program
Establishes legally binding standards, between 33 member countries, to
criminalize bribery of foreign public officials in international business
transactions and provides for a host of related measures
Features periodic meetings hosted by the Latin American Parties
(Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico)
The program provides an opportunity for member countries to share
strategies and solutions that are effective in eliminating corruption.
Conclusion
The Mexican drug war is a complex problem that cannot be solved with
any single answer.