Small Wars Journal

Plan Mexico?

Tue, 09/14/2010 - 11:19pm

Plan Mexico?

 

Towards an Integrated Approach in the War on Drugs

by Alfonso Reyes

Download the Full Article: Plan Mexico?

The illegal drug trade has been present in Mexico since the beginning of the twentieth century when prohibition of the opium trade started. Since then, the social harm of the illegal drug trade in all its forms has been constantly increasing. Today, the most obvious example of the social harm of the illegal drug trade in Mexico is drug-related crime. As a result, Mexican authorities have launched a frontal attack against the drug cartels in an effort to reduce drug-related violence. However, the results of these efforts have not been as expected. One of the main problems that Mexican authorities face in their war on drugs is the lack of a well-coordinated anti-drug strategy to fight the illegal drug trade. Further, the efforts made by the Mexican government are based on a supply-reduction approach that has proved ineffective both in Mexico and around the world over the last century because it is not aimed at the social roots of the illegal drug trade. Thus, Mexico's war on drugs has become a never-ending story. This thesis traces this history and then proposes a broader integrated approach based on attacking the roots of the illegal drug trade in Mexico.

Download the Full Article: Plan Mexico?

Commander Alfonso Reyes is a Mexican Naval Infantry Officer and former student of the Defense Analysis Department at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He has served in various leadership positions in the Mexican Navy. The views expressed in this paper are the authors and do not represent the views of the Mexican Navy.

Categories: El Centro

About the Author(s)

Comments

Anonymous (not verified)

Tue, 09/28/2010 - 12:00pm

As long as the consumer demand is there in the US and the US does not stop the flow of the earned monies and arms back to Mexico it will never stop.

By at least legalizing and taxing the pot side of the drug flow at least the incentive by the trafficking side for that drug would be reduced and at least the US government would be earning and controlling the softer drug much as we do for alcohol.

What is the stronger argument is stopping the illegal human smuggling as the traffickers make far more on it than is assumed and the laws on the books for smuggling humans is far less than for drug smuggling.

Problem is deeper if we look at the relationship between the gang developements in the south and their expansion in the US--is a far greater threat than AQ long term.

Mr.Kazakh (not verified)

Mon, 09/27/2010 - 7:49pm

From my perspective, I would like to say that I agree with this statment, but the illegal drug trade in Mexico is drug-related crime, will not solved in the future because some of big players getting benefit from this kind of business. Try to change those types of problem we have to put more effort to solve this problem in this country itself. I mean we have to more cooperate among us. Also we have to get agreement and understanding fom Mexico goverment.

carl (not verified)

Thu, 09/16/2010 - 1:13am

I am very pleased to see a piece about Mexico written by a Mexican. Commander Reyes' views will most definitely not please the drug warriors.