-Cultural- In Mexico, drug trafficking is often viewed as just another way to make a living. Young children through the age of 25 often get involved as drug trafficking gives prospects of money, food, and a sense of brotherhood within the different cartels. These benefits are hardly long term as it is only a matter of time before getting caught or killed once becoming involved. Also, the cultural paradigm of gauchos on horseback being seen as masculine and powerful has now shifted to men with heavy weapons trafficking drugs. |
-Economic-
Poverty among Mexico's citizens makes drug trafficking all the more enticing. Locations such as Juarez provide American companies manufacturing facilities with close proximity to their US headquarters and cheaper labor. Wage exploitation leaves Mexican citizens working for the equivalent of 5-10 dollars per day. With these low paying jobs and few other ways to make a living, the alternative of joining cartels and trafficking drugs starts to look more appealing or even necessary to support one's family.
Poverty among Mexico's citizens makes drug trafficking all the more enticing. Locations such as Juarez provide American companies manufacturing facilities with close proximity to their US headquarters and cheaper labor. Wage exploitation leaves Mexican citizens working for the equivalent of 5-10 dollars per day. With these low paying jobs and few other ways to make a living, the alternative of joining cartels and trafficking drugs starts to look more appealing or even necessary to support one's family.
-Environmental-
In the United States the illicit drug market is thriving. Mexico's close proximity to this market encourages the production of drugs and provides an avenue for other countries to move drugs into the US. Firearms are made accessible to Mexican crime organizations through ties with US markets, making the threat cartels pose to law enforcement and citizens even more significant. The arid climate of Mexico yields few natural resources for industrial or domestic use. Natural freshwater resources are scarce and often polluted as raw sewage and industrial effluents pollute rivers in urban areas. Modern conveniences such as indoor plumbing and electricity are also scarce in some areas. This prevents people from being able to see past meeting their basic needs or relying on other economic ventures, such as agriculture, to make a living. |
-Historical-
Mexico’s current organized crime groups stem from alcohol and drug prohibitions in the 1920s and 1930s. Smuggling of illicit drugs produced in Mexico has continued into the present. During the 1970s and 1980s drug trafficking in Mexico became significantly more profitable as the country became a gateway for cocaine coming from Columbia into the United States. After the fall of Colombia’s major drug trafficking organizations, Mexican networks took a strong hold in drug manufacturing. Due to the absence of market competition little violence arose among these groups at the outset. Once Mexican authorities began seizing the groups’ leaders, organizations were split, rival factions formed, and a competitive struggle for territory and resources began that still exists today.
Mexico’s current organized crime groups stem from alcohol and drug prohibitions in the 1920s and 1930s. Smuggling of illicit drugs produced in Mexico has continued into the present. During the 1970s and 1980s drug trafficking in Mexico became significantly more profitable as the country became a gateway for cocaine coming from Columbia into the United States. After the fall of Colombia’s major drug trafficking organizations, Mexican networks took a strong hold in drug manufacturing. Due to the absence of market competition little violence arose among these groups at the outset. Once Mexican authorities began seizing the groups’ leaders, organizations were split, rival factions formed, and a competitive struggle for territory and resources began that still exists today.
-Political-
Corrupt government and authorities have previously had a role in the trafficking of drugs by supporting cartels and gathering revenue from drug trafficking operations. Law enforcement personnel are poorly paid and can easily double or even triple their salaries by choosing to take bribes from cartels. Former Mexican president Felipe Calderón launched a massive crackdown against drug trafficking with support from the United States in 2006. While over half of the most wanted drug kingpins of Mexico were seized or eliminated, cartels began to split and more than 50 new gangs emerged along with new territorial rivalries and succession battles amongst the new groups. Violence also began to branch out from within the cartels as municipal leaders and citizens started to become regular targets of drug related violence. In December 2012, Mexico's current president, Enrique Peña Nieto, began trying to renew Mexico's image while emphasizing a strategy to diminish violence against innocent citizens.
Corrupt government and authorities have previously had a role in the trafficking of drugs by supporting cartels and gathering revenue from drug trafficking operations. Law enforcement personnel are poorly paid and can easily double or even triple their salaries by choosing to take bribes from cartels. Former Mexican president Felipe Calderón launched a massive crackdown against drug trafficking with support from the United States in 2006. While over half of the most wanted drug kingpins of Mexico were seized or eliminated, cartels began to split and more than 50 new gangs emerged along with new territorial rivalries and succession battles amongst the new groups. Violence also began to branch out from within the cartels as municipal leaders and citizens started to become regular targets of drug related violence. In December 2012, Mexico's current president, Enrique Peña Nieto, began trying to renew Mexico's image while emphasizing a strategy to diminish violence against innocent citizens.
-International Issues Surrounding Drug Trafficking-
As one of the world’s largest illicit drug producers, Columbia has been an area of focus for Anti-Drug operations throughout the last decade. Under the US sponsored anti-drug campaign, Plan Columbia, aerial eradication operations began spraying and destroying millions of acres of coca and poppy crops while air and maritime routes between Columbia and the US became compromised. As Columbia's drug market became transparent in their small economy and prominent trafficking routes were eliminated, traffickers looked to Mexico as a means to transport their drugs into the US and disguise their 10 billion dollar drug trade in a new and larger area. While major Colombian drug syndicates were weakened by anti-drug efforts, they also brought about a surge in criminal organizations throughout Mexico.
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-Potential Causes-
As described above, issues such as poverty, wage exploitation, and government corruption all exist in Mexico and may be contributing to the problem of drug trafficking. Sharing a border with the United States and our prosperous drug market may also contribute to the prominence of drug trafficking in Mexico. |
-Effects-
Drug related Violence is the most notable effect of drug trafficking. Killings due to Organized crime make up a significant portion of homicides in Mexico, and statistically have been shown to account for nearly the entire recent increase in homicides. |