Mexico's Drug Cartel War: Documentary Analysis

In the Documentary “Mexico’s Drug Cartel War”, it displays a systematic approach of drugs and violence. The Drug War has been going on since the United States had a devastating impact on Mexico after the recession where it nearly doubled its interest payments. Mexico could not afford the interest payments but did have many agricultural imports. This created the trade between the United States and the land owned by the two million farmers. It spread the slums to Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez to work in maquiladoras (assembly plants just across the border) (Jacobin, 2015). This paper will focus on explaining how drugs are related to violence in Mexico, how drug enforcement policies influence the relationship between drugs and violence, and how battle for control in their own country.

Explanation of drugs related to violence
According to Goldstein’s Tripartite model there are three major contributions to framing the drug-violence relation. The Mexican Drug Cartel they use the systemic model, it is within the context of supply and distribution that violence occurs in the drug trade. Violence is used to ensure protection and sharing of territories, sales, and stock. It is seen as an organizational management strategy. Violence is used by dealers and drug traffickers in retrieving debts owed to them.

The business of trading illic drugs is, in the sense, at the root of much of the violence observed within this criminal organization (Brunelleetal., 2000). Critics of the War on Drugs often point out that, by making certain substances illegal to buy, sell, or possess, the government has contributed, indirectly, to drug market violence. Few studies have systematically compared drug dealers and drug users in terms of violence and other forms of criminal involvement, and in conclusion is independent of its connection to drug use which increases violence and related behaviour. (Seffrin, 2014). Organized crime is one of the main causes of Mexico’s drug trafficking because 78% of the society is infiltrated by it. The government is challenging organized crime because they believe overtime it will help. It will create violence now, but in 45 years it will slowly decrease (Cosentino, 2010).

How enforcement influence the relationship btw violence and drugs
The biggest influence between violence and drugs is the corruption of law enforcement. The government is influenced by Joaquin Guzman (the man hiding in the mountain). Joaquin Guzman also known as El Chapo, is the most powerful and wealthy man in Mexico. He is the drug lord of a criminal organization in the state of Sinaloa. It is unclear, but highly likely that he has many connections with the government. He was able to escape from a high-security prison in where he was being held because he has connections on the inside. The cartels work with high positions of authorities like police officers and government workers which makes it easier to get away with criminal activities. The use of violence in Mexico is the result of death and terror which allows murder as the gateway for citizens. The government knows that there are approximately 16000 drug cases per year and some result in deaths. In Sinaloa, there are five hectares of cannabis being grown, these are the marijuana trails which can only be accessed by the Army. Drug trafficking is an attractive career path in Mexico because it is a source of income and profits $15 billion every year. In Texas, it is a right to obtain a gun and is available in every shop to secure safety and protection of the state. The United States holds all the firearms possible for purchase which include AK 47’s: the most commonly used gun in Mexico to kill people, and 50 Calibre Rifles that have the ability to penetrate armoured vehicles, and walls in houses. These guns are not purchased by the cartel themselves, but by front men who are able to buy and sell firearms to people in Mexico. Since guns are easily accessible, 90% of the guns linked to Mexican drug cartels are from the US (Cosentino, 2010).
Battle for control
Mexico struggles for the battle of control within their own country. People have become diminished by poverty (40%) that they live in fear for whats about to come. It is so easy to manipulate citizens because of the lack of education in the majority of the country which are the people that get targeted the most. They are afraid of the cartels because they are so big and have the money and power to get away with all their criminal acts. They inflict fear onto the people and by doing that they are protecting themselves from the government because it is so hard to find someone to cooperate in reporting drug problem or any other crimes without violence. In such corrupt country, most of its citizens rely on income to allow them to survive, therefore they get into the drug business because it brings in money, and people who have a lot of money are the ones in power. Legalization of marijuana would not help the country because its main source of income is drugs and legalizing it would cut the profits in half which in turn would only make Mexico worse (Cosentino, 2010).

Conclusion:
Therefore, Mexico’s Drug Cartel War explaining how drugs are related to violence in Mexico, how drug enforcement policies influence the relationship between drugs and violence, and how battle for control in their own country.

Mexico may never be able to take away the drug trade because they are much a poor country. People must chose between “silver and lead”, either making the money by selling drugs or taking a bullet to the head. Even with all the new police officers being hired, because of the previous corruption of authority, the government is trying to minimize the distribution and selling of illegal narcotics. They are still fighting to this day for a peaceful

Mexico.