Bonner (2010) Flashcards
What is the current situation in Mexico ?
Mexico is currently facing a significant challenge from powerful drug cartels that have infiltrated various levels of government and society, leading to violence and instability reminiscent of Colombia’s struggles 20 years ago.
What has been the Columbian experience ?
Colombia faced a similar, even more daunting struggle against powerful drug cartels (Cali and Medellin) in the 1990s. With the help of the United States, the Colombian government successfully defeated them.
How did the Mexican cartel gain so much power and infleunce ?
Mexican drug cartels gained unprecedented power due to preexisting corruption, weak law enforcement institutions, and the demand for illegal drugs in the United States.
How did the cocaine trafficking routes change ?
In the mid-1980s, the direct flow of cocaine into southern Florida and the Bahamas was shut down by the United States, leading to a new connection between Colombian and Mexican cartels for smuggling cocaine.
Describe the evolution of Mexican cartels ?
Mexican cartels initially acted as transporters for Colombian cartels, but by the early 1990s, they established their own distribution networks in the United States and within Mexico, becoming vertically integrated, multinational criminal organizations.
Describe the status of corruption in Mexico ?
The 1985 kidnapping and murder of U.S. DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena exposed extensive corruption and complicity in drug trafficking within various levels of the Mexican government, including state police, federal police, and even the attorney general’s office.
Why did previous governmental attempts to combat cartels fail ?
Previous Mexican governments, such as those of Carlos Salinas and Ernesto Zedillo, made sporadic attempts to combat drug cartels, but lacked a systematic strategy.
What is the impact of this changed political landscape in Mexico ?
The end of one-party rule in Mexico with the election of Vicente Fox in 2000 signaled a shift in the relationship between the government and drug cartels. The federal government’s acquiescence could no longer be taken for granted.
What are the current (2010) efforts to fight these cartels ?
President Felipe Calderón has launched a campaign to confront organized crime and corruption. He has heavily relied on the Mexican military and has significantly increased extraditions of drug traffickers to the United States.
How can the US and Mexico learn from the dismantaling of Columbian cartels ?
The successful campaign against Colombian cartels offers several lessons, including the importance of a multinational approach, clear objectives (destruction of cartels), a divide-and-conquer strategy, and the use of a proven tactic like the “kingpin strategy.” Removing key leaders is crucial for dismantling such organizations.
