Drug cartels persist as one of the prominent issues in Mexico exhibiting the power of drug alliances. Drug trafficking cartels existed in Mexico for over a decade, representing their strength and power.
Mexican president Felipe Calderon displayed his concerns against the drug war and launched the counter-narcotics campaign in 2006. Mexican drug cartels engaged in massive killings of civilians, politicians, and students.
Big Mexican Drug Cartel Players
The United States also supported the Mexican government in taking effective measures for the elimination of drug cartels through funding and provision of intellectual resources, while in 2010, it deployed 45,000 troops. Mexican governments in every era failed to eliminate the dirty drug business from the country.
The use of illicit drugs among Mexican males increased by 15.8%, and among women increased by 4.8% in 2016. Drug dealing caused the killings of 1400 people in October, while the rate of homicides also doubled.
Drug cartels held enormous power in Mexico and were involved in supplying different types of drugs throughout the world. Mexican drug dealers are the largest exporters of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine to the United States.
These cartels are involved in smuggling, i.e., marijuana, to different regions of the world.
Due to the increase in power of drug cartels, they formed alliances and engaged in battle against each other for territories. Sinaloa represents one of the most dominant Mexican drug cartels operating in the country due to its strongholds across the Mexican Pacific coast.
Jalisco is the second influential cartel engaged in terrorist activities as part of drug dealing. The strong presence of these drug cartels threatens the peace and stability of the world.
Corrupt Political System Nourished Cartels
Political corruption strengthens the position of the drug cartels, minimizing the possibility of their evacuation. Drug cartels bribe susceptible public officers and authorities for the near-free reign of criminal activities, including drug trafficking.
Corruption has deeper roots in the politics of Mexico, prevailing at the state level, and promotes drug dealing and related activities.
Alliances and strongholds of drug carters with the Mexican government raise the influential power of the drug criminals, thus eliminating the possibilities of their eradication.
The fact that public authorities and officials receive bribes from drug dealers allows them to conduct criminal activities.
The other reasons involve a lack of corrective measures and joblessness. The argument claims that the Mexican political system represents a narco-state due to the open corruption giving sufficient power to the Mexican drug cartels that strengthen their base in the country.
Why Do Drug Lords Hold Much Power in Mexico?
The involvement of the Mexican state in corruption weakens the role of a justice system that gives excessive power to criminals. Engagement of public authorities and police in bribes and receipt of illicit funds strengthen the position of the drug dealers.
Drug cartels survived in the Mexican region for centuries due to the internal flaws of correctional systems, as big drug lords receive no punishments.
The weak state and corrupt officers resulted in the massive power of the drug lords. Corruption and drug cartels’ alliances with government authorities affect the capabilities of the state to remove drug businesses.
Unemployment also acted in favor of the Mexican drug cartels as many jobless citizens fell into the trap due to a lack of survival opportunities. The argument claims that without the government’s support, strict laws, and employment, drug cartels would not have prevailed for so long in Mexico.
Drug trafficking and trade are prevalent in Mexico as drug cartels have strongholds with political figures with different terror ties. Police officers also accept bribes and allow drug dealers to conduct criminal activities.
Drug consumption in Mexico increases every year, reflected in a 15.8% increase in 2016. The production of poppy tripled between the years 2013 to 2016, reflecting the dominance of drug cartels. Americans ceased 54,400 pounds of drugs carried by Mexicans in customs in 2017.
Why Aren’t Public Officials Able To Stop Drug Cartels?
Drug trafficking is an organized crime in Mexico due to the increased absence of strict laws. Drug trafficking groups like Sinaloa and Jalisco expanded their presence in the region but received no punishments.
Mexican drug cartels freely engage themselves in the trade of common drugs, including cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine, due to weaker laws and no correctional settings.
When drug offenders face no consequences, and the officers allow them to move freely, it encourages them towards future crimes. Only 1 percent of the drug lords face penalties, thus becoming another reason for their strength.
Breaking Mexican cartels involves massive challenges for the country as corruption remains deeply rooted in the political systems.
Eliminating the existence of influential carters depends on enhancing the law and order situation. The argument provided by Cordero claims that the elimination of drug cartels from Mexico remains unattainable under the prevailing conditions of the weaker correctional system.
Few criminals face prosecutions and spend life in jail, while most offenders can get probation. The law only punishes the small-scale drug dealers that do not threaten the power of the big drug lords. Among 74 percent of detentions, 41 percent were involved in small-scale crimes.
IRP and Political Exploitation
Cartels earn enormous profits from the drug trade. It allows them to bribe the judges, police, officials, and other influential personnel, thus neutralizing the government’s opposition.
Mexican history displays the Institutional Revolutionary Party’s (IRP) negative role in exploiting politics. It occurred through the seventy-one-party-rules DTO’s creation of systematic corruption.
Government officials provided market access and distribution rights to the drug lords, strengthened their position, and resulted in an expansion of cartels.
Unemployment and Drugs
Mexicans suffer the depression of unemployment, affecting their lives and futures. Limited or no opportunities for growth encourage young Mexicans to become part of crime and drug businesses. Due to the availability of young people, the Mexican drug cartels managed to build a network across the country.
Unemployment in the country is at 5%, which causes Mexicans to leave the country for better futures. Those lacking support are more vulnerable to criminal lives.
Denial of Mexican State
The homicide rates declined by 30%, which depicts the role of law enforcement and the state. The state is seriously dealing with the matter, as apparent in Felipe’s efforts of deploying more than 6500 soldiers to eliminate drug businesses.
The state’s role is also visible in Calderon’s actions against corruption 2007. Strict laws also prevail, apparent in the punishment received by big drug lord Osiel Cardenas, sentenced to 25 years.
Nacho Coronel was killed in 2010 during a military raid. The Mexican state denies the allegations and claims that it has been spending billions of dollars for drug cartel elimination since 2006. Strict laws prevail in Mexico while detained offenders are involved in small-scale crimes.