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Conflict in Mexico. War on drugs. History of the Mexican Drug War. Major drug producing/distributing/supplier country for illegal drugs 90% of cocaine smuggled into the USA is from Mexico- profits range from $ 13.6-48.4B/year
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Conflict in Mexico War on drugs
History of the Mexican Drug War • Major drug producing/distributing/supplier country for illegal drugs • 90% of cocaine smuggled into the USA is from Mexico- profits range from $13.6-48.4B/year • Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo- former police agent, founded relationship with Colombian cartels • Cartels became more powerful after Colombian cartels crumbled in the 1990s • 3 major Mexican cartels- Gulf, Sinaloa, and Los Zetas
History of the Mexican Drug War • Arrests of key leaders led to increased violence/war/corruption as cartels fight for control of routes/territory • 2000-2006- 79,000 arrests, approximately 26,000 deaths in the last 3 1/2 years • 2005- Mexican government has made efforts to end all corruption • 2006- Felipe Calderon forced action against cartels in 9 states • December 2006- Escalation of drug war between government and cartels- Felipe Calderon sent troops into Michoacán to end violence • Major locations affected- Baja, California, Guerrero, Chihuahua, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Nuero Leon and Sinaloa
Key Events 1980 • Birth of the Mexican drug war • Miguel ÁngelFélix Gallardo "The Godfather" controlled all illegal drug trade in Mexico and the trafficking across the Mexico-USA border throughout the 1980s. * Marihuana and Opium • Mexico formed connections with Columbian organizations to transport cocaine through Mexico into the United States • 2006 • Felipe Calderon is elected as president on Dec 1st 2006 • Mexican government is now focused on destroying the cartels rather than drug trafficking prevention. • Operation Michoacan is launched against the La FamiliaMichoacana cartel.
Key Events 2007 • Operation Baja California is launched against the Tijuana cartel: the Government of Mexico is taking place in Tijuana and the surrounding areas of Baja California. • 2008 • The government launches the Joint Operation Nuevo León-Tamaulipas in order to eliminate the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas • The Mérida Initiative- a $1.6 US billion security cooperation agreement between the USA and Mexico, was signed into law • 2009 • Alberto Espinoza Barron is captured and arrested by Mexican authorities- one of the La FamiliaMichoacana cartel leaders. • The Mexican government launched the Operation Quintana Roo, sending thousands of troops to Cancún. • The Mexican Navy and the United States Coast Guard, confiscated 7 tons of cocaine being transported via waters in the Pacific Ocean.
Key Individuals Miguel ÁngelFélix Gallardo • The "godfather" of Mexican drug trafficking • Had full control over the Mexican drug trade throughout the 1980s. • Delegated his territory • In 1989 he was arrested, and is serving a 40 year sentence for racketeering, drug smuggling and multiple violent crime • FelipeCalderon • Former President of Mexico (in office Dec 1, 2006-Nov 30, 2012) • Launched operation Michoacán just 10 days after being elected. This operation was said to have started the war between Mexican officials and drug cartels • Since the war began, over forty thousand people have been killed • Put a lot of force into his anti-drug campaigns
Key Individuals General Sergio Aponte • Head of the anti-drug campaigns in the state of Baja California • Made numerous allegations against police officers and other officials in the region • Ousted from his position after these accusations were made • JoaquínGuzmánLoera • Nicknamed "El Chapo“ • Most wanted man in Mexico" • Leader of Mexico's largest cartel: the Sinaloa Cartel • After the arrest of his partner Héctor "El Güero" Luis Palma Salazar he obtained full leadership • Guzmánis wanted by the governments of Mexico and the United States and by INTERPOL
Current Situation • the battle is now essentially between the Sinaloa and Zetas • Zetas triggered a quadrupling of drug-war killings in the last four years • 17 major arrests of leaders of Los Zetas over the past year • Arrest of Marcos Jesús Hernández Rodríguez • killing of HeribertoLazcanoLazcano, followed by the theft of his corpse
Current Situation • 90 percent • more than 50,000 deaths have been attributed to organised crime since president Felipe Calderón • Enrique Pena Nieto, PRI, was elected president of Mexico, succeeding Mr. Calderón • negotiation rather than following President Calderón'sapproach