Deep Currents

The Financial Times has a piece that neatly sums up the driving forces behind the drug war that rages on in Mexico, where the government’s control over its own territory now resembles swiss cheese and high-ranking police officers have been caught in the pay of organized crime:

• The cocaine market in the U.S. is maturing, leading to turf wars
• President Calderón allowed some of the barons to be extradited to the U.S., removing the executives from a number of operations and leading to succession battles
• President Calderón sent in the army to confront the gangs, which has stirred the pot

These gangs rank among the best example in the world today of the global guerrillas that John Robb has predicted. They’re on our southern doorstep, and we’re funding them with our weekend partying. 

Written: November 27th, 2008