Crime and Drug Cartels in Mexico- Crime in Mexico is one of the most urgent and serious concerns facing Mexico today. Crime statistics in Mexico show that even over the years, the crime rate has decreased. Over the last 100 years or more there has still been a huge upswing in drug related crimes, especially within the last few decades (Tuckman). Crimes as of today are not all reported, so the rates may be higher than statistics indicate. The government is not able to catch all of these drug and violent crimes going on throughout the country. The vast majority of these crimes are due to assault and theft. Mexico is known as the “gateway” for illicit goods and all things illegal; many criminals take that to the extreme advantage. Many …show more content…
By 1960 in Mexico, drugs such as Marijuana and Heroin were being produced and used throughout the country (Insight Crime). Moreover, these drugs were used and produced in Sinaloa state mostly along the western coast (Insight Crime). These drugs were then smuggled into the United States ending up in the Southwest regions. In the 1980’s, Mexico was under the leadership of Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo. During this time when Mexico was under his leadership, the drug cartel flourished (Insight Crime). Many years later it seems there were slight tensions between the United States and Mexico. The United States pressured Mexico to become more responsive to criminal activity. After the political pressure the US was putting on Mexico, some of the drug traffickers left and fled the country. Over the following years several Mexican leaders were arrested, and detained in different states inside of Mexico. In 1989, Mexican authorities caught Miguel,who was the leader of the Guadalajara cartel (Insight Crime). During the late 1980’s, there were three groups of drug cartels. The three groups were the Tijuana based clan, the Juarez clan, and the Sinolea based clan (Insight Crime). Since the year of 2002 the mexican government has been trying to prevent these crimes the best they can. The government has arrested and killed hundreds of drug traffickers and there has also been several anti-criminal
A widely propagated myth would have us believe that Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera and his Sinaloa Federation are less violent than many of their competitors. Statements from journalists and analysts allege that Sinaloa is more businesslike than Los Zetas, whose reputation for brutality is well-documented, and that this business savvy somehow renders the group relatively benign. In turn, this has led many to believe that the Mexican government could broker a deal with the leader of one of Mexico's largest criminal organizations.
Mexico has a long history of cartels the deaths, drugs and weapon trafficking is in all time high increasing year by year. “Mexico's gangs have flourished since the late 19th century, mostly in the north due to their proximity to towns along the U.S.-Mexico border. But it was the American appetite for cocaine in the 1970s that gave Mexican drug cartels immense power to manufacture and transport drugs across the border. Early Mexican gangs were primarily situated in border towns where prostitution, drug use, bootlegging and extortion flourished” (Wagner). They keep themselves armed and ready with gun supplies shipped from the U.S, taking control of the drug trades. The violence is spilling so out of control that
Mexico’s war on drugs was officially decreed by then President Felipe Calderon, but has existed in some form since long before that. In the 1920s a law was drafted that deemed drugs and drug trafficking to be of the highest priority for national security. Throughout time, Mexico has a history of very strict drug enforcement laws, stemming from the issue being one of national security. Strangely enough, before 2006, when the war on drugs was formally declared, Mexico as well as other Latin American countries were having less trouble with drugs as a threat to national stability than after the formal declaration that labeled them as a destabilizing national security threat. Marijuana was banned from Mexico City in the 1860s and the State of Oaxaca shortly after that, with the surrounding areas following suit. After the Mexican Revolution in 1910, cocaine and opium imports began to be restricted by the newly empowered Superior Board of Health. The then leader of the Superior Board of Health, José María Rodríguez, pushed for these reforms, citing the need for a healthy vibrant population due to the country’s proximity to other rapidly growing nations (namely the US). The easily made link between drugs and disparagement, treachery, prison, death, made
As stated by David Lunhow and José De Cordoba, in the year 2008, 6,000 people died in drug-related violence in Mexico, the U.S.’s second biggest trading partner. The cartels now operate in 230 cities and towns around Mexico, and commit crimes in the U.S. as well, such as in the case of Phoenix, where 370 kidnapping cases were reported in 2008 (De Cordoba & Lunhow). As many as 90% of the people killed in Mexico are said to be linked to trade in some way and in President Felipe Calderon’s six-year term, there were 153 fights
from both countries are in place, and though they are productive, they are not yielding the results needed to completely destroy the cartel and the destruction it brings.
In 2006, Mexico began to crack down on drug trafficking operations in union with the United States. Why all of the sudden? In regard to that question, my paper will include a history of events leading up to this sudden crack down on drug trafficking, from its start in the 1960’s until today. After the history of the drug war, I will discuss the main states involved like the United States and Mexico itself. Along with their main goal of eliminating drug trafficking all together, although it is a very high expectation. Mexico has sent out 50,000 soldiers that are being paid less than a burrito vendor, in attempt to lessen the
Mexican smugglers transformed into the Guadalajara cartel through the leadership of Felix Gallardo. Right at the beginning we see that there was no real motive for the cartels to be borne – other than them being created out of need. Mexican cartels would not have the power that they have today if it was not for the high demand that exists in the United States for drugs and narcotics. Since the United States government began to crack down on Colombian gangs that operated in Miami, they were forced to look towards other means to transport drugs to their hungry American consumers. The cartels were borne out of the need to meet the supply and demand that had been created by those living in the United States. Their true upstart to the cartels was not due to come type of rebellion against government, but one borne out of need to satisfy
The international drug trade from Latin American states is having an impact on a global scale. The trafficking of drugs along with corruptness and murder is an international conflict that is being fought daily. There are many aspects of the drug war from Mexico and other Latin American states which have effects on United States policy as well as policies from other countries that participate in the global suppression of illegal drugs.
Despite President Felipe Calderon’s good intentions and determination to eliminate the drug cartels in Mexico, the Mexican government has not been able to stop the drug cartel’s operations (smuggling drugs, people and weapons to and from the USA) for many reasons. The drug cartels have proven to be powerful, well connected politically, well trained, well- armed, and manipulation of the masses. Therefore, it has been impossible for the Mexican government to stop cartels like La Familia from operating, and now the cartels have become a problem for the Unites States too.
During the mid-2000’s former President of Mexico Felipe Calderon announced his war on the cartels and led to a crackdown against these organizations, along with assistance with
In relations to the origins of the War on Drugs in the United States, the current and most common drug war being fought is against the drug kingpin, Joaquín Guzmán Loera and his organization, the Sinaloa Cartel. Mexico has been a producer and distributer of illegal drugs for generations and since the late 20th century, the country is currently undergoing a battle with powerful and well-financed cartels. As of today not much is being imposed to put a halt to the corruption in Mexico, for the trafficking of weapons and the violence has made it almost impossible for powerful countries like the United States to overthrow the long-established, most powerful drug cartels in Mexico. The few attempts that have been made to stop distribution of drugs
Drug trafficking has become an increasingly growing problem in the world today. Illegal drug trade is a worldwide black market consisting of production, distribution, packaging, and sale of illegal substances. Although today’s "War on Drugs" is a modern phenomenon, drug problems have been a common problem throughout history. The market for illegal drugs is massive, when we consider the estimated global drug trade value is worth $321 billion (Vulliamy). The most drug trafficking happens on the border between Mexico and the United States. Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon said, “Our neighbor is the largest consumer of drugs in the world. And everybody wants to sell him drugs through our door and our window”
Drug trafficking, as an actual problemátic around the world, has been a problem since long time ago, and Mexico has come into notice around the world for this matter. Since approximately the 19th century, the world has been worried because of illegal drug trafficking, but in the beginning, drugs were not illegal and widely used throughout the world as they are today. Laws that banned the commercialization use of drugs were approved less than 80 years ago in the mayor part of the world´s countries, In the early 1900's, drugs were not considered a serious issue, because the government believed the abuse would not stop if citizens could not get drugs after they were banned, but it would grow. Among the years, México has been gaining a bad image related with drug trafficking and
Many illegal drugs are produced and sold in Latin America. Latin America has illegal drugs such as cocaine,marijuana,and basuco wich is a form of crack cocaine. It affects this country because it causes drug trafficking in Latin America. Drug trafficking is where you buy and sell illegal drugs.Wich is considered a very dangerous and serious crime.This causes crime rate to go up causing more and more people getting sent to jail,so this causes government officials to figure out ways to fix these problems in Latin America.
As previously discussed, Mexico is one of the biggest producers, and suppliers of illegal drugs. This market has grown incredibly over the years. It has become such a problem that the Mexican government has declared war against drugs. Drug cartels are very powerful in Mexico because they have such a profitable business going. While most of the country lives in poverty, Mexican drug cartels make around 64 billion American dollars that come just from consumption in the U.S alone. These organizations have created jobs for many Mexicans who have no choice but to get involved in this criminal business.