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On October 17th, 2019, with pressure from the United States government, the newly formed Mexican National Guard surrounded Ovidio Guzmán López’s home in Culiacán. Lopez, the kid of infamous drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, had actually been desired by the US government because February. Several gun fights throughout the city ensued, but Lopez and his henchmen were able to outnumber and overpower the National Guard. The federal government forces withdrew and were unable to apprehend the younger Guzmán, nor extradite him to the U.S.– to the dismay of Washington. If the U.S. is serious about decreasing cartel violence in Mexico and drug trafficking into the U.S., then it needs to modify its policy far from securitized efforts, like the Mérida initiative, and assistance efforts for socio-economic advancement.
In 2007, United States Congress approved the Mérida Effort, a$ 3.1 billion strategy that has actually supplied military grade planes and helicopters, ammunition, and
abuse training. The initiative’s primary objective was to minimize illicit drug circulation into the United States. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this securitized approach was not preferred by Mexico’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Instead of battling the cartels, Obrador had carried out a policy of “Abrazos, no balazos”: hugs, not bullets. He argued that access to jobs and better earnings, especially for the youth and those living in rural areas, were a much better strategy to lower cartel violence than taking on the cartels directly with military force. This softer technique was disregarded by the U.S. government.
abuse training. The initiative’s primary objective was to minimize illicit drug circulation into the United States. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this securitized approach was not preferred by Mexico’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Instead of battling the cartels, Obrador had carried out a policy of “Abrazos, no balazos”: hugs, not bullets. He argued that access to jobs and better earnings, especially for the youth and those living in rural areas, were a much better strategy to lower cartel violence than taking on the cartels directly with military force. This softer technique was disregarded by the U.S. government.
The failure of Mérida To reduce$ 29 billion of illicit drugs entering into the nation, the U.S. should acknowledge that the Mérida Effort is a failure. Because the drug war formally started in 2006, violent criminal activity in Mexico has actually gradually increased, with 2019 the bloodiest year on record. While Drug, the primary export of the cartels to the United States, continues to see a rise in its usage. A much better plan would be for Congress to approve funds that focus on supplying advancement help to produce task chances, enhance education inequality, and establish infrastructure. Dealing with Mexico’s income inequality– among the highest for developed countries– can not be an afterthought.
Mexico is a fine example of how unemployment figures are misinforming. It ended 2019 with 3.4% joblessness, 46% of the population stayed below the hardship line. Underemployment is especially a concern for those with greater education, as most sources of employment in Mexico do not need specialized knowledge or work experience. As an outcome, young Mexicans are drawn to the drug game, which is unquestionably profitable: “El Chapo” was able to produce over $ 12 billion in drug earnings before his arrest. If more tasks appear in expert fields, young Mexicans would not be required to sign up with a cartel or take a poverty-level wage.
Those without tertiary education in Mexico are at a greater risk for joining a cartel. The youth is most likely to be hired when they are not in school. This is troublesome, as 50%of Mexicans do not even get upper secondary education– more than three times the OECD average of 15%. The more young people that are not in school, the higher number of possible recruits the cartels can take advantage of. Federal government spending per student is the most affordable in the OECD- intensifying the problem. Backwoods, southern states, and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected too. For example, literacy rates in the states of Chiapas and Oaxaca– home to the largest percentages of indigenous peoples in Mexico– are more than 10 times lower than in Mexico City or the northern state of Nuevo León.
ABOVE Obama revealed holding funds since of human rights violations … then quietly released them
More plaguing the marginalized rural, southern, and native populations are facilities deficits, which worsen the poverty cycle and increase the appeal of joining a cartel. These neighborhoods typically face a mix of unpaved roads, lack of electrical power and safe and clean water, as well as few social development programs. Given that a lot of these settlements are developed without government approval, the locals do not pay real estate tax. The lack of taxes disincentives the government to invest in these communities.
Provided the high level of inequality in Mexico, the U.S. would be better off working with the Mexican government to resolve these injustices, instead of putting more funds into the Merida Effort.
Development policies deny the cartels of soldiers more effectively than military policies. Sadly, corruption in Mexico and the political appeal of military policies makes the implementation of a financial advancement technique challenging. The short-term will supply barriers as the coronavirus has brought an increased military existence back to the streets. President Obrador has dedicated to promoting economic advancement throughout his presidency, while USAID has likewise started to alter its tone. In 2018, USAID directed ten times more funds towards international narcotics and police than any other task. Fortunately, this year USAID focused the most funding towards employees’ rights, while narcotics and law enforcement was not even considered a top ten concern.
Last but not least, Congress can likewise play a role by defunding the Merida Effort and supporting the Mexican government’s efforts to develop much better job chances, improve education, and develop facilities. While this strategy will require time to prosper, the proof shows that this is the best and only long-term solution to minimizing cartel violence.
Below is the Merida initiative report … US.mx Merida Initiative Report by Chivis Martinez on Scribd
