Drugs, Guns, and Democracy in Mexico

Since 2006, Mexico has been locked in a deadly war on drugs. As drug cartels grow increasingly emboldened with their attacks on civil society, the pressure is on Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to rein in what seems to be a forever war. Meanwhile, corruption penetrates all levels of Mexico’s government while the conflict is a significant push factor for thousands of Mexicans fleeing to the U.S. border. This comes amid recent talks between U.S. and Mexican officials to revamp their security cooperation to address these and other issues. 

In this episode, Beatriz Magaloni joins Doug to unpack Mexico’s war on drugs and how the violent conflict finds its way home to the United States.

1. Beatriz Magaloni. "Institutionalized Police Brutality: Torture, the Militarization of Security and the Reform of Inquisitorial Criminal Justice in Mexico." 
2. Beatriz Magaloni. "Living in Fear: The Dynamics of Extortion in Mexico’s Drug War."
3. Beatriz Magaloni. "The Beheading of Criminal Organizations and the Dynamics of Violence in Mexico."
4. Beatriz Magaloni. "Presidential Approval and Public Security in Mexico’s War on Crime"