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The Impact of the Drug Trade to Mexico’s Economy NS4540 Winter Term 2018 by LT Michael A. Tomsic. Outline. Background Drug Economics How is Economy affected? Conclusion. Overview: Mexico. Background : Gained Independence in 1824 Size: 1.964 km 2 Population: 123.5M (2017)
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The Impact of the Drug Trade to Mexico’s EconomyNS4540 Winter Term 2018 by LT Michael A. Tomsic
Outline • Background • Drug Economics • How is Economy affected? • Conclusion
Overview: Mexico Background: • Gained Independence in 1824 • Size: 1.964 km2 • Population: 123.5M (2017) Economy: (2017) • GDP (US$): 1,124.3B • Exports (359.3B) • Main Partners: USA, Canada, China, Spain, Brazil • Automobiles, electronics, televisions, computers, mobile phones, oil and oil products • Imports (372.8B) • Main Partners: USA, China, Japan, Germany, South Korea • Metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery and metals
Comparison Alex Bihar
Mexico - 2017 • 65/100 Freedom of the World • 65/179 Economic Freedom Index • 20/180 Corruption Perception Index Alex Bihar
What drugs are being trafficked • Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO’s) are the largest foreign suppliers of: • Marijuana, heroin, methamphetamines and cocaine (to the US) • Legalization of marijuana? • Cartels have begun to abandon the transferring of marijuana across US because of 28 states legalizing it • Mexico has considered legalizing marijuana for medical use • Overall net? • Estimated tens of billions of dollars are made every year from drug sales
Largest Operating Cartels • Sinaloa • Formerly lead by El Chapo, largest international footprint • Jalisco New Generation • Splintered from Sinaloa in 2010, more violent than the rest, has no problem openly engaging with authorities or other cartels • Juarez • Largest rival to Sinaloa • Gulf • One of the smallest due to recent arrests of high profile leaders • Los Zetas • Splintered from Gulf in 2007, originally a paramilitary group, the most technologically, advanced, sophisticated cartel • Beltran-Leyva Organization • Created by four brothers who broke off from Sinaloa in 2008, loyalists still operate in Mexico since brothers have either been killed or arrested
Cartels – Gaining influence • Domestic • Neutralizing government opposition • Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) – in power for 70 years • Were exploited by DTOs to create a network of corruption for lucrative bribes • National Action Party (PAN) – Vicente Fox • His election in 2000 upended the 70 year equilibrium between the state actors and the cartels • 2017 violence can be associated with attempting to reestablish impunity in the government • International • After US stepped into the Caribbean ring in the 1980s, Mexican DTO’s became wholesalers instead of Colombian couriers
President Felipe Calderon • Declared war on cartels in 2006 after he took office • Deployed military forces and assistance to replace local police • Killed 25 of the top 37 most wanted drug kingpins in Mexico • His more direct approach had drawbacks • Splintered bigger cartels into 60-80 smaller ones • Territorial rivalries intensified and violence spread • Cartels/gangs turned to kidnapping and extortion • Mayors and former mayors were killed, with the hopes of vying for local political power • 120,000 registered homicides during his reign
How did drugs flourish in Mexico? • U.S. entrance in 1984, announcing “War on Drugs” • Kingpin Strategy
Economic Implications How much does it actually cost?
Bibliography • https://mwi.usma.edu/balancing-mexicos-economy-drug-war/ • http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/05/03/mexico-drug-war-economic-costs_n_9825538.html • https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-staggering-death-toll-of-mexicos-drug-war/ • https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/05/this-is-how-much-violence-costs-mexicos-economy/ • https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-staggering-death-toll-of-mexicos-drug-war/ • http://www.businessinsider.com/drug-violence-and-economic-complexity-in-mexico-2016-3 • https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/vrios/files/rios2008_mexicandrugmarket.pdf • https://isreview.org/issue/90/political-economy-mexicos-drug-war • http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/drug-trafficking-violence-and-mexicos-economic-future/ • https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/peps.2016.22.issue-3/peps-2016-0014/peps-2016-0014.xml • https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/mexicos-drug-war • https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/128.theeconomic.pdf • https://www.statista.com/statistics/263597/gross-domestic-product-gdp-per-capita-in-mexico/ • https://www.focus-economics.com/country-indicator/mexico/gdp-per-capita-USD • https://data.oecd.org/mexico.htm