The Struggle For
Public Safety
Written by:
President,
Felipe Calderon,
Republic of
Mexico
(Article
published in "El
Norte" June 13,
2010 and
translated by
Barbara Murillo)
Mexico is
located right
next to the
country that has
the greatest
consumption of
drugs in the
world. Drug
trafficking to
the US was the
beginning of the
formation of the
powerful groups
of organized
crime. During
decades, the
narcotic traffic
in Mexico was an
activity focused
exclusively on
the traffic of
drugs toward the
US. Throughout
this period the
criminals worked
only to assure
traffic routes.
People thought
that they
(narcotics
dealers) were
not getting into
anyone´s
business and
that theirs was
considered a low
profile
activity. They
tended to be
left alone.
However, since
the middle of
the 1990s, along
with a larger
purchasing power
in Mexico, the
criminals began
to diversify
their activity
by means of
looking for
consumer
markets among
young Mexicans.
Now the
Mexican youth
use drugs in
larger and
larger
quantities.
Territorial
Control
The struggle to
control markets
implied a
substantial
change in the
activity of the
criminals. They
were no longer a
business of mere
exportation but
were now a
business of
distribution in
the country, and
the criminals
sought, by means
of violence, to
control their
own markets, the
authorities and
the citizens.
Organized crime
needed to
control and mark
their territory,
and to do this
they had to be
feared not only
by other
criminal groups,
but also by the
authorities and
citizens.
Instead of
hiding from
authorities, the
criminals began
to openly
control them,
by means of
intimidation,
and this is
known as the law
of Money or
Bullets (plata o
plomo)
Cooperate, or
else.
Control Of
Society
They began
charging other
criminals for
the use of space
within their
territories, a
behavior typical
of the mafia.
They also began
to charge
protection fees
for legal
businesses. In
this way the
control of
territory of
organized crime
caused new
problems that
severely
aggravated
society, such as
extortion,
kidnapping,
besides the
extreme violence
utilized in the
elimination of
their
enemies—torture,
decapitations,
and threatening
messages that
accompany the
bodies. People
began to be
filled with
terror and fear.
Deals Made
With Authorities
Whenever a deal
or arrangement
is made between
the drug dealers
and the
authorities,
whether it be
police, public
ministries,
municipal, state
or federal
leaders, etc,
this
arrangement with
criminals leads
one to believe
that the
delinquents are
being controlled
by the
authorities.
However, the
opposite is
true, and once
this pattern is
underway the
criminals take
hold of things
and there is no
limit to their
abuse. This
corruption only
causes the
expansion of the
criminal groups
to be
accelerated and
they gain
control of small
towns and cities
without and
meeting any
resistance.
Access To Arms
Another factor
that has favored
the territorial
control of
criminals has
been how easy it
is to gain
access to lethal
weapons. One of
the main reasons
is that the US
government has
allowed the sale
of almost any
weapon. In 2004
neither the
Congress or the
President would
ratify the
Assault Weapons
Ban. Since then
arms are sold
almost without
restriction. In
the border
states on the
American side
there are almost
7,000 gun
stores. 90% of
guns used in
Mexico are made
and sold in the
US. The growth
of violence in
Mexico began
coincidentally
with the defeat
of the law
restricting
assault weapons
from being sold.
Social Factors
There is a lack
of educational
opportunities,
work and growth
for young people
in some cities
of Mexico. For
some, the social
climate allows
for them to fall
into drug use
and easy money.
They can sell
drugs, carry out
executions, and
do other dirty
work for the
criminals. It is
essential to
work on
improving the
situation of the
youth and to
help with the
prevention and
treatment of
addictions, and
improve the
teaching of
basic values in
schools and
homes.
The Wars Among
Gangs and The
Increase in
Violence
More than a war
of the
government
against the
narcotics
traffickers, the
more deadly war
is that of the
wars among the
gangs (Beltran,
Pacifico,
Juarez, Golfo,
Zetas, Familia).
There is
reciprocal
violence.
Unfortunately
this increases
the probability
that there are
more innocent
victims in cross
fire.
TAKING ACTION:
Some suggest
that government
intervention
against
organized crime
provoked the
current violence
and criminal
behavior, when
it is completely
the opposite.
STRATEGY (in a
nutshell)
Intervention of
the army and
other armed
forces. This is
just a temporary
measure.
Fortify and
train justice
and security
institutions
(police force)
in the country,
form a federal
police,
Have an active
policy for crime
prevention,
fighting
violence and
drugs in
schools, have
places for drug
rehabilitation,
(these have been
a target of the
narcos in the
past, they go in
and kill the
kids who want to
get off drugs)
Increase
international
cooperation on
the basis of
shared
responsibility,
and respecting
the jurisdiction
of each state.
CONCLUSION
The options were
very clear: If
we ignored this
problem and
handle it by
trying to avoid
the costs of its
solution, it
would mean
abandoning
society and
leaving us all
at the mercy of
the criminals.
This battle will
take time, will
cost us in
economic
resources, and
unfortunately,
cost lives. If
we stand around
and do nothing
we will remain
in the hands of
organized crime,
and we will
always live with
fear, our
children will
not have a
future, and
there will be
more violence
and we will lose
our freedom.
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