Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

México: Organized Crime Politics and Insecurity

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Traditional Organized Crime in the Modern World

Part of the book series: Studies of Organized Crime ((SOOC,volume 11))

Abstract

The text below characterizes the phenomenon of organized crime in Mexico, which is dominated by illegal drug trafficking organizations and provokes high levels of violence, and its relationship with the configuration of political power. In order to understand the dimensions of the problem, this contribution also explores the definitions that have been used to characterize organized crime. It also examines the available data on the illegal drug market to show inconsistencies and inadequacies that are often overlooked. Finally, it weighs the strategies that the Mexican government has deployed during the Calderón administration to combat drug trafficking and the widespread social dissatisfaction with the high levels of violence and the number of fatalities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    http://www.pgr.gob.mx/Combate%20a%20la%20Delincuencia/Delitos%20Federales/Delincuencia%20Organizada/Antecedentes.asp

  2. 2.

    http://info4.juridicas.unam.mx/ijure/fed/9/17.htm?s=

  3. 3.

    http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/101.pdf

  4. 4.

    A report by Reuter and Trautmann (2009), p. 13.

  5. 5.

    See Díaz Briceño (2011).

  6. 6.

    El Universal, May 18, 2011.

  7. 7.

    Astorga (1995), p. 11.

  8. 8.

    Cervantes (2011).

  9. 9.

    For more details see: Astorga (2005, 2007, 2011).

  10. 10.

    See: SSP, Press Release Number 325, May 28, 2011.

  11. 11.

    See: “Detecta reporte caza de capos”, Reforma, May 28, 2011.

  12. 12.

    See: SESNSP, “Iniciativa de mando único policial”, http://www.secretariadoejecutivosnsp.gob.mx/es/SecretariadoEjecutivo/Iniciativa_de_Mando_Unico_Policial.

  13. 13.

    Véase: M. Castillo, Notimex (2011a, b).

  14. 14.

    Véase: National Drug Intelligence Center, US Department of Justice, National Drug Threat Assessment, 2008; “Cárteles reciben de EU 25 mmdd al año”, El Universal, 27 March 2009; Johnson (2009, March, 18), Assistant Secretary of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Department of State, Statement before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Washington, DC; US Department of State, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Country Database, May 2010; Informe “Estados Unidos-México: estudio binacional de bienes ilícitos”, presentado por Morton, subsecretario estadunidense del Departamento de Seguridad Interna del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE), citado en La Jornada, Jueves 3 June 2010; Kilmer (2010), p. 30; Appendixes, p. 47.

  15. 15.

    See: Secretaría de Seguridad Pública, presentation Genaro García Luna, January 2011.

  16. 16.

    See: Forbes, March 2011: http://www.forbes.com/wealth/billionaires/list?country=224&industry=-1&state=.

  17. 17.

    See: Merlos (2008, 2009); Arreola (2009); UNODC (2009); Méndez (2007); Notimex (2009).

  18. 18.

    See: SSP (2010); UNODC (2009); México (2008); USA (2008).

  19. 19.

    See: Mosso (2010).

  20. 20.

    See: http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/base-de-datos-de-fallecimientos/ and the official websites of Political Parties and States.

  21. 21.

    See: Dávila (2010).

  22. 22.

    See: Fernandez (2009).

  23. 23.

    See: Rizzo (2011a, b).

  24. 24.

    For a detailed analysis of this historical process see: Astorga (2003, 2005).

References

  • Arreola, J. J. (2009, March 12). Calculan que 50 mil indígenas trabajan para cárteles. El Universal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astorga, L. (2007). Seguridad, traficantes y militares. México: Tusquets.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astorga, L. (1995). Mitología del ‘narcotraficante’ en México. México: Plaza y Valdés.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astorga, L. (2003). Drogas sin fronteras. México: Grijalbo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astorga, L. (2005). El siglo de las drogas. México: Plaza y Janés.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astorga, L. (2011). Traficantes y política. Algunos escenarios. In L. J. Garay & E. Albarán (Eds.), Tráfico de drogas, corrupción y Estado. Bogotá: Random House Mondadori (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cervantes, J. (2011, February 27). Solución viable: ‘unificación’. Proceso, 1791.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dávila, P. (2010, October 10). La impunidad, obra de Reyes Baeza. Proceso, 1771.

    Google Scholar 

  • Díaz Briceño, J. (2011, January 28). Alerta zar antidrogas, ‘evolución’ del narco. Reforma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez, M. (2009, June 12). Candidato del PAN en NL pacta con los Beltrán Leyva. El Universal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, D. T. (2009, March 18). Guns, drugs, and violence: the Merida Initiative and the challenge in Mexico. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilmer, B., et al. (2010). Reducing drug trafficking revenues and violence in Mexico, would legalizing marijuana in California help? Occasional paper, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Méndez, E. (2007, October 29). Las drogas destruyen … al maíz. Excélsior.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merlos, A. (2008, August 9). Integran 500 mil ejército del narco. El Universal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merlos, A. (2009, March 11). Los cárteles mueven 25 mmdd: Washington. El Universal.

    Google Scholar 

  • México. (2008). Encuesta Nacional de Adicciones. México: Secretaría de Salud.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton, J. (2010, June 3). Estados Unidos-México: estudio binacional de bienes ilícitos. La Jornada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosso, R. (2010, October 18). El cártel de Sinaloa, detrás de 84% de narcocrímenes. Milenio.com.

    Google Scholar 

  • Notimex. (2009, March 31). Cultivos ilícitos en 7 millones de hectáreas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reuter, P., & Trautmann, F. (Eds.) (2009, March). Global illicit drugs markets 1998–2007. Utrecht: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rizzo, S. (2011a, February 24). Controlaba PRI al narco. Reforma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rizzo, S. (2011b, February 25). Endereza Rizzo dichos sobre narco. Reforma.

    Google Scholar 

  • SSP. (2010, January 22). Se duplicó en seis meses el mercado de drogas. Milenio.com.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNODC. (2009). World drug report, Washington, DC: UNODC.

    Google Scholar 

  • USA. (2008). National survey on drug use and health. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Véase: M. Castillo, Notimex. (2011a, June 14). Comienza flojo megaoperativo. Reforma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Véase: M. Castillo, Notimex. (2011b, May 28). Operativo nacional anticrimen, pactan los gobernadores. Milenio.com.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Social Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico, México, Mexico

    Luis Astorga

Authors
  1. Luis Astorga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis Astorga .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Willem Pompe Institute, University of Utrecht, Janskerkhof 16, Utrecht, 3512 BM, Netherlands

    Dina Siegel

  2. Erasmus University, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, Rotterdam, 3062 PA, Netherlands

    Henk van de Bunt

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Astorga, L. (2012). México: Organized Crime Politics and Insecurity. In: Siegel, D., van de Bunt, H. (eds) Traditional Organized Crime in the Modern World. Studies of Organized Crime, vol 11. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3212-8_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation