November 2009
Rebecca Wheeler Mexico’s Dilemma 1
Addressing the Drug Problem The Drug War in Mexico and the United States Gets Worse
Introduction The Mexican drug war affects both Mexico and the United States. Although many of the citizens in the United States probably know about the drug war in Mexico, especially those who live near the border and see this problem directly, many may not know this issue affects all Americans and they should be informed about this issue. Now because of the drug cartels, violence in Mexico is increasing, and Mexico is asking the United States for help. However the question is should the United States help Mexico?
Map of Mexico http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/northamerica/mexico/map_of_mexico.jpg
Mexico’s Dilemma 1
Background
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Cook, Colleen (2007) Mexico’s Drug Cartels. CRS Report for Congress (1,12)
http://upload.org/wikemedia/commons/2/2a/Mexican-drugcartels_2008.jpg
Currently in Mexico there are seven drug cartels, which are drug trafficking organizations, operating in Mexico. The Gulf, Sinaloa, and Juarez are the major ones. Many of these cartels operate not only in Mexico but up to seventeen states in South America. According to Coleen Cook, an analyst in foreign affairs states, “In recent years, the major cartels have formed alliances with one another; the two rival alliances now compete for turf,” (2). Several cartels have come together and formed a group known as “The Federation”. In the last six years the Mexican Government arrested 78,831 people for drug trafficking and arrested 15 cartel leaders.(Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, 2007, 2) Over the last several years Mexican drug cartels have become increasingly powerful and are using transportation networks to move marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroine across borders. The drug cartels do not only affect Mexico however, many of the drugs that are being trafficked end up in the U.S., and about 90% of cocaine comes into the U.S. via Mexico. The drug cartels not only produce these drugs in Mexico, these drugs are now being produced in the United States by the cartels. Because they dominate so much of the United States drug trafficking they not only provide the U.S. with drugs they are “the leading wholesale launderers of drug money in the United States.” They smuggled from 8.3 billion dollars to 24.9 billion dollars which is then transported into Mexico.
Mexico’s Dilemma 1
Impact Not only are law enforcement, which has become increasingly corrupted by the cartels, also affected by this ongoing problem, but civilians are being greatly affected by the violence. The arrest of two major drug cartels in 2002 led to more turf wars. The violence is affecting not only citizens of Mexico, but U.S. citizens also. More than 60 Americans have been kidnapped by drug cartels, and in 2007 Mexican drug cartels kidnapped an American journalist who was reporting on the ongoing violence in the border area (CRS Report For Congress, 2007,12).
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Fixing the Problem In 2006 President Calderon, the president of Mexico, started anti-drug cartel operations; this included checking police weapons, wherever the government believes the police are working for the cartels. According to the CRS Report for Congress by Coleen Cook, in 2007 about 100 police officers were suspended because of concerns of corruption. The same year 284 commanders also had to give drug and polygraph tests. Those 284 commanders were then replaced. Now before new commanders are hired they must go through multiple tests such as psychological screening, drug tests, and background checks. The government is hoping that by distributing these tests, while hiring people and continuing throughout their career, the corrupt ones will be weeded out. Since President Calderon has taken office he has made eliminating most of the drug cartels his top priority. Because of the increased violence in Mexico he has sent out 24,000 soldiers and federal police to nine different states(CRS Report for Congress 2007,14).
http://globaleconomy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/files/2009/03/USMexico-trade-violence-image-abc-news.jpg
http://vivirlatino.com/i/2008/06/Felipe%20Calderon. jpg
Mexico’s Dilemma 1
Conclusion While President Calderon is doing his best to improve this problem, the violence continues. Mexico is asking the United States for help, some citizens claim that we have enough problems of our own; others argue that the problem is going to worsen on our side of the border also. In the future there may be a solution to this problem but until then the drug war continues.
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References
Cook, Colleen(2007) Mexico’s Drug Cartels. CRS Report for Congress(1,12) Deibert, Michael (2008) Guatemala’s Death Rattle: Drugs vs. Democracy. Journal of World Policy (167) Naim, Moises (2009) Wasted: The American Prohibition on thinking smart in the Drug War. Journal of Foreign Policy (167). O’Neil, Shannon (2009) The Real War in Mexico: How democracy can defeat the drug cartels. Journal of Foreign Affairs (63). Saunders, J. Debra (2009) The drug war body count. Wall Street Journal