The Cartels: The Story of Mexico's Most Dangerous Criminal Organizations and their Impact on U.S. Security: The Story of Mexico's Most Dangerous Criminal Organizations and Their Impact on U.S. Security

by George W. Grayson Professor Emeritus

Overview

What can President Enrique Peña Nieto do to curb the narcotics-induced mayhem in Mexico, and what would be the consequences to the United States if he fails? This book analyzes Mexico's transition from a relatively peaceful kleptocracy controlled by the Tammany-Hall style Institutional Revolutionary Party/PRI (1929–2000) to a country plagued by rural and urban enclaves of grotesque violence. The author examines the major drug cartels and their success in infiltrating American and Mexican businesses; details the response from the Obama administration; assesses the threat that the continuing bloodshed represents for the United States; and emphasizes the constraints on America's ability to solve Mexico's crisis, despite U.S. contributions of intelligence, military equipment, training, and diplomatic support.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440829871
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/26/2013
Series:	Praeger Security International
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	328
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

George W. Grayson, PhD, is professor emeritus at the College of William & Mary; associate scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA; and senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1

1 The Ten Commandments and "El Padrino" 22

2 The United States Seeks Interdiction of Drugs from Colombia 35

3 Shift in Cocaine Flows, the Gulf Cartel, and Los Zetas 50

4 The Sinaloa Cartel: Its Allies and Adversaries 66

5 Calderón's Approach to the Drug War 86

6 Impact of the "Militarized Drug War" on Mexican Society 117

7 Peña Nieto's Approach to Combating Cartel Violence 160

8 The Rule of Law 184

9 The Enablers 201

10 Conclusions 217

Appendices 227

A History of Drug Activities 228

B Major Colombian Cartels 233

C Evolution of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas 236

D Phases in the Development of the Arellano Félix Organization 241

E Losses Suffered by the Arellano Felix Organization 244

F Overview of Cartels 247

G Summary of Cartels and Their Characteristics 251

H Prominent Kingpins Arrested/Balled during Calderón Administration 255

I Clashes between Military and Civilian Police: 2007-2011 259

J Military Budgets and Desertions 264

K Mexico's Major Federal Law-Enforcement Agencies and Grassroots Forces at the Beginning of the Pená Nieto Administration 265

L Advisory Council for the Pact for Mexico 267

M Perpetrators of "Rough Justice" in Guerrero 268

Notes 271

Selected Bibliography 299

Index 305