Mexican Drug War: Ongoing since 2006
According to records, Mexican drug cartels dominate the wholesale of illicit drug market, and controlled 90% of cocaine entering the US during 2007. It is stated that at least 60,000 people died from the Mexican Drug War by the end of Felipe Calderon’s administration due to the battles between police force and drug cartels. Till now, violence still happens between rival cartels and death rate has already reached over 106,000.
The Mexican drug war is an ongoing war between the Mexican Government and drug trafficking syndicates. As government states that they will be focusing on the drug cartels instead of the drug trafficking, key cartel leaders has been arrested one after another. However, this then leads to an increase in drug violence as other cartel fights for control over the trafficking routes — war has begun.
One of the cartel groups, CJNG, has expanded to portray itself as contrast to other drug trafficking groups, saying that its a nationalistic paramilitary group aimed to defeat other cartels, in hopes to bring stability to Mexico. However, this promise was being broken when CJNG carried out attacks against members of the Mexican military.
The targeted drug traffickers does not show a strong anti-government stance, as they are drug cartels and not insurgent groups. However, perhaps as a result of CJNG’s influence, some of the groups are still willing to fight against military officers, sometimes in broad day light. As the ongoing takedown of top-level drug lords contributed to the fragmentation of the cartels, many small groups has been formed, some of which became very violent and militaristic, directly targeting the Mexican military.
Various citizen defines forces have also broken down, creating more chaos. Two of the major self-defense militia groups have been fighting each other, rumouring that one of the side receives support from CJNG, demonstrating the power and influence CJNG have on society.
This chaotic drug war has lasted over 8 years and still haven’t come to a conclusion, the constant confluence of smaller cartels also showed that Mexico is not doing a good job regulating its laws. If continued, more advantage will be taken from the chaotic state of Mexico.
