Jun 28, 2011

Whack-a-mole Drug War: Evolving Views on Mexico’s War on Drugs

A look at the evolving politics of the drug war during presidential election seasons on both the Mexican and U.S. sides

Shannon K. O'Neil: Latin America's Moment » Blog Archive » Evolving Views on Mexico’s War on Drugs: "Mexico’s fight against drug traffickers is being increasingly questioned on both sides of the border. In Mexico, several politicians – mostly from the PRI– have denounced Calderón’s approach. ...

Independent columnists and analysts too are increasingly vocal. ... Ordinary citizens in Mexico have begun to agitate against the government’s strategy – most vocally those following Javier Sicilia ...

In many ways the rising criticism is to be expected. Violence has escalated in the last few years, and spread (though is still concentrated in some 10 percent of Mexico’s municipalities). It has also hit average Mexicans more – as organized criminals expand their operations from running drugs into kidnapping, robbery, extortion, and the like. ...

What may be a bit more surprising is the escalating critiques to the north, and of the U.S. role in combating this insecurity. Two recent Congressional reports lambast the handling of guns flowing south, while another questions the nature and accountability of counternarcotics spending more generally....

Viewed as a whole, the increasing political skepticism (combined with pressures to cut budgets in the U.S. congress) bodes a much heavier lift for continued and deepening cooperation. As both countries go into Presidential elections, these critiques will likely only increase. Much of this questioning is important. All these policies will have long term ramifications for both Mexico and the United States, and as such should be analyzed and debated."

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