Mexican Drug Cartel Research Paper

A drug cartel is a combination of drug manufacturing and drug transportation organizations under one person’s leadership. While there is numerous drug cartels around the world the Mexican cartels have arguably more power than most in regards to territory and membership. This power has allowed them to have main control in not only Mexico but in the United States as well making them a key player in the drug trade. In 2006, the Mexican government challenged multiple drug cartels such as the Sinaloa cartel, The Los Zetas, and the Gulf cartel, beginning the Mexican Drug War. This war has gone on for the past ten years and is still continuing today, causing the death of 10,000 people a year on average. The Mexican Drug War is having a negative impact

on the lives of Mexicans because the cartels commit inhumane crimes against Mexican citizens and corrupt the police, leaving the people without protection.
Juan Ramon Matta Ballesteros created the first cartel by combining Mexico’s main drug trafficking organization with Columbia’s largest cocaine manufacturer. When he created the first cartel it began the chain of events that resulted in the Drug War. Ballesteros formed the first cartel around the cocaine explosion, which he was a key player of. He caused the cocaine explosion by combining the largest drug trafficking organization which was located in Mexico and the largest cocaine manufacturer located in Colombia giving ballesteros the greatest production and distribution resources of all other drug dealers allowing him to “combine independent commercial or industrial enterprises designed to limit competition or fix prices” by definition he forming the first cartel.
The three key players in the Mexican drug cartel are in constant conflict despite their common nationality; this has caused an ongoing problem for the Mexican government, which is forced to use a significant amount of its resources to combat this problem.

The Los Zetas cartel consists of some of the most deadly men in Mexico. Comprised and founded by rogue Mexican Special Ops soldiers they branched off from their former employers (The Gulf cartel) and are now fighting for their territory. Based in Matamoros the Gulf Cartel was the original heavy hitter of Mexico's cartels. Currently the Gulf Cartel is in an ongoing war with the Los Zetas. Lead by El Chapo the Sinaloa Cartel is the current leader of the drug trade in all of Mexico. The cartels are fighting the Mexican government for power over the country. Federal agents target cartels and are able to weaken them but just before the agents can take over a rival cartel comes in and takes the territory starting the whole process over again. The cartels act like a Hydra Kill one Head and two will take its

place.
One of the greatest challenges in The Drug war for the police is Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman also known as El Chapo because he is more powerful and more ruthless than any other drug lord..

Born into a poor family Joaquin only stayed in school till 3rd grade By then he was taken out to help his father with his drug business. When Guzman turned 15 he set out on his own to start his own drug business, which was so successful he was able to support his whole family, and even by his mother a mansion in an otherwise poor city. His drug company evolved into the Sinaloa Cartel and Joaquin Guzman became EL Chapo the Osama Bin Laden of the Drug Trade known for his brutal and meticulous tactics. El Chapo became one of the richest men in the world earning a place on Forbes billionaires list for four years until they took him off because they couldn't find his money's origin. He is also considered one of the greatest criminals in Mexico escaping 2 supermax prisons 2001 and 2015 and becoming the only other man besides Al Capone to be Chicago's public enemy No.1. El Chapo’s power not only over the Mexican drug cartel but also financially has made him a difficult person for the police to

combat.
In Mexico the cartels act as local terrorist by means of public assassinations of political figures. The main targets of the cartels terrorist attacks are on public servants. The most of these attacks happened in 2010. During the 2010 terrorism assassinations 12 mayoral and gubernatorial candidates were killed. According to philosopher William dean went so far as to say that the cartel’s violence could be defined as terrorism.