Mexico’s Enduring Crisis of Kidnappings, Disappearances, and Violence

Mexico is facing a grim reality: over 30,000 people have been killed each year since 2018, largely at the hands of organized crime groups and drug cartels. The country’s government has also been accused of human rights abuses in its war against these groups, driving migrants to the U.S. border and fueling a drug overdose epidemic north of the border.

The Roots of Violence

The roots of Mexico’s criminal violence stretch back to the 1980s, when organized crime groups began to form and compete for territory and market share. The government launched a military-led crackdown on cartels in 2006, but this approach only led to increased violence and corruption.

Current Crisis

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known as AMLO, promised to reform the country’s approach to combating cartels when he took office in 2018. He established a new National Guard and deployed it to the southern border with Guatemala to stem migration. However, his tactics have failed to curb violence, which has continued at high levels.

Recent Developments

• Kidnappings, killings, and attacks on journalists have surged in recent years.
• The country’s military has been accused of human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, rape, and extrajudicial killings.
• Cartels have consolidated their control over large swaths of the country, using heavy weaponry and drones to battle each other for territory.

The State of Play

As of May 2024, it is estimated that cartels control around one-third of Mexico’s territory. The Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are responsible for most drug trafficking in the United States, supplying methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and other drugs. An increasing quantity of fentanyl, the leading driver of drug overdoses in the U.S., is also smuggled across the southern border by these cartels.

Government Criticism

Mexico’s government has faced criticism from human rights groups for its approach to combating crime, with some arguing that continuing to rely on military force will be insufficient to tackle the country’s security issues.