Mexican/Latin American “War” on Drugs and Trafficking

The international drug trade from Latin American states is having an impact on a global scale. The trafficking of drugs along with corruptness and murder is an international conflict that is being fought daily. There are many aspects of the drug war from Mexico and other Latin American states which have effects on United States policy as well as policies from other countries that participate in the global suppression of illegal drugs. It can be hard to differentiate between conflict and issue in regards to Latin America’s drug war and International Relations. The Mexican drug war is a global issue because it interferes with the states ability to collaborate and form policy in order to address the issues between international borders. Conflict arises because certain states want to resolve the situation and are willing to do what is necessary to do so. While drug-related violence in Mexico receives considerable attention, the Northern Triangle of Latin America is far worse. Venezuela has emerged as a major departure point for cocaine trafficked to Europe. Between 2006 and 2008 over half of all detected maritime shipments of cocaine to Europe came from Venezuela. (Crime 2010) These ports in Latin America have had an impact on the cities in the Bahamas as well with the drug cartels exporting their drugs quicker to the surrounding countries; they use the ports of the Caribbean to refuel while on the way to America. The waters of the Caribbean islands are patrolled by navies from the United States, France, Canada and the Netherlands. (Barnes 2010) However, the patrolling of the waters has not had a significant impact in the delivery of drugs to other countries. As the international drug trade continues to spread and grow, Mexican drug cartels are continuing to exacerbate the problem. Theses cartels, since the late twentieth century, have continued to intensify their violence towards citizens of Mexico and the United States. Cities on both sides of the Mexican-American border are continuously terrorized by drug cartels as a way to keep control over shipping routes and silence from citizens. (Wilkinson 2008) In 2010 an employee of the United States Embassy in Mexico was murdered along the Mexico-American border. This added tension to the ongoing drug trafficking problem and raised the issue of Mexico’s inability to control its own borders. Felipe Calderon, the President of Mexico, stated that he is seeking a stronger relationship with the United States. The effects of this relationship can be seen on the streets with the intensified level of violence against the drug cartels and the effectiveness of the government. (Dresser 2009) Calderon stressed the need for additional money to combat his war on drugs. In 2008 the United State released more than $400 million to aid the Mexican government. (Wilkinson 2008) In 2009, the United States government released another $400 million to Mexico as part of the Merida Initiative to continue training and suppression of the drug cartels. (Dresser 2009) In 2007, statistics for the actual monetary expenditure of the United States were $16.5 Billion dollars for drug enforcement and eradication in the U.S. (Miron 2010) Money given, in total, to fight drugs and drug trafficking around the world was $6.5 Billion in 2005. (Office 2005) With the United States working bilaterally, the government is willing to work with each other for a common cause, in the form of monetary aid. The government works with other Intergovernmental Organizations, organizations whose members are state governments that were formed to protect the interests of those states, to battle such conflict. Now, drug trafficking has been taken to the world stage. In regards to the Mexican drug cartels the United States is working with Mexican interdiction efforts, establishing corruption resistant court systems and police agencies, in order to help fight off a security threat to the United States. (Meyer 2009) With the United States being a hegemonic power, one state holding a preponderance of power in the international system allowing it to dominate the rules and arrangements in international political and economic decisions are made power in the world, they have imposed states with certain conditions/standards in order to receive aid. Mexico has frequently stated that the Untied States is acting unilaterally and violating their sovereignty. Sovereignty is the idea that each state has the right to do whatever it desires within its own territory. 

Another reason that this conflict is being targeted by different government organizations is that terrorists have become involved in the drug trade. The United States is concerned that due to the weakened budget from the efforts of the war on terror and the war on drugs its borders are becoming available to the smuggling of terrorists. (Levin 2010) With the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, signed by the United States, Canada, and Mexico that allows for the trade of goods with little or no tariffs or trade restrictions, concerns were raised as to what effect that would have on the trafficking of drugs throughout the states that were part of the agreement. The U.S. decision to restrict the trucking provision of the agreement, which would allow trucks to cross borders without stopping, showed that even though we needed to act globally there were still issues locally that needed to be addressed. (Falco 1996) In 1998, many states around the world took a major step to riding themselves of the threat of drug trafficking with the ratification of United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. (Falco 1996) This treaty was set up confront the money laundering efforts that criminal organizations use in to hide their money from states. Although the treaty has not been ratified by all the states involved, it is an important first step to end the corruption, violence and abuse from drug trafficking. The conflict of the war on drugs is important to state leaders. Some would argue that it is their states right to produce these illegal substances if they wish. Supply and demand also shows that as long as people are willing to do illegal drugs states and people will continue to produce them. The United Nations, an international organization, has set up an office called the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, this office is authorized to set up field based projects, research and analytical work, and normative work in the effort to counteract illegal drugs, crime, and terrorism. This office reports directly to the general assembly and is part of a larger Intergovernmental Organization. (U. N. Crime 1997) With this office and the principles of reciprocity, a response to another’s actions when states that help one another in times of trouble or need, governments across the globe are uniting their efforts to stop the trafficking of illegal drugs. 

From: 123helpme.com