Drug trafficking organizations over the years have instilled fear upon Mexican citizens through their gruesome attacks, which have escalated since President Calderon’s term in office began in 2006. The level of violence has increased to an unprecedented level, as of President Calderon’s term, 28, 000 lives have been lost due to the war against the cartels according to the New York Times. Is it a new level of violence or an act of desperation? Some may say it’s one or the other, while others may say that it is a combination of both. However, it is a combination of a new level of violence that was not resorted to in the past, at least in the frequency that it is being practiced now, and also a result of desperation in behalf of the cartels. The primary cause of the violence can be traced to the most important aspect of any organization who strides to be successful. The aspect of controlling drug routes into the U.S. happens to be what the cartels fight over. The cartel that has access to the entry points into the U.S., can control the amount of drugs that go through, but it can only be maintained by using “mafia-style” tactics (O’Grady, 2010). As competition increases for control of access routes, the violence is more likely to increase, for drug cartels are always striving to be in control. In contrast to the number of cartels in Mexico, U.S. government officials have identified 230 cities where drug cartels have set up shop to distribute and store their drugs (Archibald, 2009). Just as cartels have various distribution locals, various cities in the U.S. have legalized opening of marijuana dispensaries.
Furthermore, California’s Proposition 19, was under the cartels radar, for if passed it would deliver a significant blow on their income, which is estimated to make up more than half of the cartels income (O’Grady, 2010). If proposition 19 had passed it would have changed the drug business tremendously, the demand for marijuana would have dropped dramatically. Moreover, the monopolistic fashion in which Mexican drug cartels have been operating is reminiscent of Colombian cartels of the 1980s and 90s (O’Grady, 2010). The fight for control has lead cartels to fight one another, which has increased the number of causalities, thus demanding action from government administrators. The pressure that has been applied on drug cartels has caused them to lash out against government and the citizens of the cities, towns, and states that they reside in. Furthermore, cartels not only attack Mexican citizens and government members, they have also executed U.S. citizens who work in Mexican territory according to the video. For example, the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Facility have began training for “active shooter” scenarios, which is similar to the real life scenarios that Mexican police and soldiers engage on a regular basis (Archibald, 2009). The training scenarios have been attributed to a recent increase in house invasions and kidnappings that have been occurring in the Tucson, Arizona. Incidents that have occurred on the U.S. border, not only have involved Mexican citizens, but also American citizens. A recent attack on an American couple on Falcon Lake, near the Texas and Mexico border, left Mr. Hartley dead (McKinley, 2010). Fallowing the incident, the Mexican investigator in charge of the Falcon Lake investigation was found beheaded after he released the identity of two suspects related to Mr. Hartley’s death. Cartels have been violent since they formed, but it has never reached the level that it is currently today. Whether, it is a new level of violence that they have reached or a result of the pressure that the Calderon administration has applied, it is evident that the violence has gradually travelled across the border and it is spilling onto American soil.
References
O'Grady, M. (2010). The Economics of Drug Violence. Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition, 256(86), A17-A-1.
Archibald, R. (2009, March 23). Mexican Drug Cartel Violence Spill Over, Alarming U.S. New York Times. Page A1.
McKinley, J (2010, October 14). Mexican investigator of American Killing is Behheaded. New York Times. Page A29.
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