The politics of drugs in Latin America

Politics of Drugs in Latin America

The Politics of Drugs: Impacting Mexico

The challenges narcotics have brought to Latin America are certainly far-reaching, having a major impact on a variety of countries' social, political, and economic constructs. Affecting the elite and peasant cultures alike, drugs have built up social boundaries in these countries that many find difficult to traverse. In many Latin American countries, government officials and civilians alike are nearly wholly controlled by drug lords, who profit financially from narcotic sales and trafficking, and whose empires infiltrate the social services of a country. Mexico is no exception. According to Flintoff, of National Public Radio, Mexican drug cartels have divided Mexico into zones, warring with each other and causing violent political turmoil to characterize the nation. Effects of the drug cartels include a difficulty organizing Mexico politically, a vast number of Mexican citizens who illegally immigrate to the United States and other regions, and drug trafficking that affects nations throughout the world. An examination of the effects of these cartels on Mexican society, economics, and politics suggests the issue is of the utmost importance and should be considered a prime problem in international relations.

A history of colonization, economic turmoil, and drug wars has made life for Mexican citizens challenging in a variety of aspects. While many of the social problems that citizens of Mexico must deal with arise from economic issues, drug cartel violence is also a daily presence in Mexican citizens' lives. Underemployment, low wages, and few opportunities for social and economic advancement are just a few of the challenges Mexican citizens must overcome (CIA). With most of Mexico's population in the prime age range for work, these social problems become even more poignant. Perhaps because of these conditions, schooling is not a prime focus of Mexican society. Children receive approximately 13 years of schooling, and the government spends five and a half percent of its GDP on education. While the literacy rate is in the 90s, women are still slightly less educated and less literate than men (CIA). Other issues, such as health care and disease prevention are prominent problems in Mexican society. Of course, much of this stems from the socioeconomic issues Mexican citizens face, as few opportunities to make money render problems for Mexican citizens when they attempt to solve any problem.

However, there are many members of Mexican society who are not poor -- the leaders and members of drug cartels, whose affects on an already troubled society are far-reaching. Despite the social problems it has always encountered, Mexico has traditionally been an area filled with a rich, ethnic culture. Today, the international world focuses not on that vibrant culture, Mexico's stunning natural resources, or its captivating history. Instead drugs have influenced Mexican society by taking others' focus away from these positive points and onto violence. Contemporary Mexican society is one torn apart by the violence that has come with the politics of drugs. According to the Los Angeles Times, the number of casualties in the President Felipe Calderon's War on Drugs has risen to nearly 10,000, more deaths in two years than in the United States' five-year altercation with Iraq ("Mexico Under Siege."). The war on drugs has created violence from both the military and drug cartel sectors; and the ever-vigilant Human Rights Watch has accused Mexico's military of human rights' abuses. The Council of Hemispheric Affairs writes that Mexico's military, unlike its other branches of government, has remained secretive and less accountable to the general public as a result of its attempts to quash drug cartels. Human Rights Watch argues that the force has done more than its good duty -- killing, torturing, raping, and detaining citizens with impunity. While Human Rights Watch notes that the military certainly has a right to protect its people from the cartels, it also condemns the actions that it calls abuses ("Mexico: Hold Military to Account on Rights Abuses"). Thus, Mexican society has been greatly influenced by the politics of drugs. In fact, the danger to the general public became so great that Americans and other tourists were encouraged to stay away from the country because of the drug-related violence.

While society's struggle to survive despite the War on Drugs is admirable, it is clear that the drug cartels and drug politics have had a major impact on the economic development of the country. Before the drug-related issues in Mexico reached their worst, the country was already suffering economically. In 1994, the Mexican economy experienced a sharp downturn with the devaluing of the Peso. By 2008, the country had been making a comeback when the international economic crisis struck, hitting Mexico hard. Still picking up the pieces, Mexico must also face the economic pressure of unequal distribution and problems with human capital. Although current president Felipe Calderon called creating jobs and combating poverty as his primary economic goals, members of drug cartels are still among some of the richest people in Mexico. For instance, Drug Lord Joaquin Guzman Loera is supposed to be worth around $1 billion and was listed among Forbes' richest people in the world. While Loera -- who escaped from prison in 2001 and has a drug trafficking operation that is highly visible in both the United States and Mexico -- is making billions, most Mexican citizens have a per-capita income that is about 1/4 the income in the United States (CIA, Flintoff). Although the Mexican economy needs vast infrastructure improvements -- including communications, transportation, and a shift away from agriculture -- it is difficult to provide such amenities when one is focused on combating -- and spending to combat -- a war on drugs. According to Sill and Bergman, drug trafficking creates other problems that are unique to the economies dependant on drugs. In the short-term, drug sales actually tend to be good for the economy, as most drug traffickers tends to take their cash and invest it in legitimate businesses, giving the economy a boost. However, the authors suggest that a dependence on drug trafficking is devastating to an economy in the long run, significantly cutting job and business opportunities, stunting growth and progressions. While some regions of Mexico exist that are nearly wholly dependant on drugs -- areas in which removing drugs could be harmful -- much of Mexico's stunted long-term growth could be as a result of these drug cartels. Thus, the politics of drugs affect the Mexican economy in a variety of specialized ways that have long-term, detrimental effects.

Finally, while the impact of the drug cartels on society and the economy is stunning, and in many cases stunting, it's impact on the political organization of Mexico is quite frightening. Currently struggling for its independence from the drug cartels, Mexico is not yet what can be considered a failed state. However, should the battle continue much longer, it is likely that this will result. Currently, the legitimate, government under Mexico's president -- a federal republic based on the U.S. system, among others -- must war with illegitimate drug cartels for political control (CIA). Basing his War on Drugs on the U.S. version of the war by the same name, Calderon has come under some scrutiny for his decisions to utilize the military as a police force. According to the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, allowing the military to take this expanded role gives them more access to the political goings on of a country, which may eventually harm the construction of Mexico's government. In addition, council points out that using the military in such a way has, most likely lead to conflict among police and military making it more difficult for the sources to share information and, together, combat a threat. Finally, violence and human rights abuses on the part of a government are a likely outcome of this organization, one that Human Rights Watch has already claimed ("Mexico's Drug War"). Thus, the politics of drugs have impacted the politics of Mexico by forcing the country into inner turmoil and questioning the validity and legitimacy of the ruling government, in addition to giving the military a greater role in politics, along with the problems that this causes.