AMLO Shows Some Spine

I suspect they probably will reinvent themselves, and to some extent seem to be doing it with the “protection” businesses they are running. While I will freely admit that the USA’s drug policy has lead to the cartel situation in Mexico, I think it is extremely unlikely that the drug policy in the USA will change anytime soon. To me, the real question is what Mexico will do to improve law enforcement to mitigate the influence of the cartels.

Lots of finger pointing, cooperation seems like a smarter move

You correctly identify that Mexico is a country full of poor people. Why is that way? I think it is a very valid point that many make, and I am repeating here, that it is poor because of a long history of corrupt and poor leadership. It certainly isn't for a lack of resources. Mexico is loaded with natural resources that have been exploited, but unfortunately mostly for the benefit of a few in power. I am not advocating for Mexico to fight the USA's failed drug war. I am advocating for Mexico to fight its own internal problems so that it won't be so affected by the poor decisions made by its northern neighbor. As the leader of Mexico, AMLO absolutely bears responsibility for the actions of his government.

I was not very clear in my previous post about Canada so I will attempt to clarify here. My point wasn't that Canada has zero problems. My point was that Canada is not a major hub for distribution of drugs to the USA and isn't overrun with cartels who challenge the power of the government to the same degree that they do here in Mexico. That is despite the fact that it is just as dependent on the USA for trade. There is something different between Canada and Mexico, with regards to this topic of cartels and drug distribution, that makes Canada generally a safer place than Mexico when it comes to violence and guns. That is despite the fact that they both depend and are influenced by the USA in very significant ways. I think it is quite reasonable to see that the difference is in large part a result of poor governance.

The national guard was an attempt to create a professional police force? Your kidding right? A police force is a force that is professionally trained to enforce laws, investigate crimes using forensic evidence and pursuing criminals that are identified in that process. The national guard, from the beginning, was largely staffed from the military and were paid for by the military. They changed their uniforms and vehicles for a new color and then proceeded to use the same tactics as the military that have been patrolling the streets for years. So the national guard largely drive around the streets during the safe hours of the day and then disappear during the night. Just like all the other "law enforcement" agencies that are doing the same thing. If you are going to claim that they are doing actual police work then you are going to need to cite specific data because all the data I have read shows that virtually no budget has been created for the national guard to be trained in police work or in forensic labs. To top it all off AMLO's administration dispensed with the illusion that the national guard were a separate entity and integrated them into the military as another branch. How is that an attempt at building a professional police force.

It is the first time that I have read you almost criticize the large projects championed by AMLO. In all of our other interactions you have energetically defended them.

To answer you question, yes I have shared my ideas with local officials. I have advocated directly with Jorge Sanchez during the last political cycle that Zihuantanejo needs a local and professional police force. I also asked him to advocate for a major upgrade to the hospital and expressed my displeasure with the development at playa Manzanillo. I have sent emails to federal representatives expressing my wish for them to stop focusing on degrading INE and instead focus on strengthening the judiciary. Have I heard back from any of those federal officials? No. I have no illusion that I myself can change any of these. I hope that sharing these ideas, which are not my own, with as many people as possible will help them reach the mainstream.

I will reiterate, none of this meant to say that it will fix the problem of prohibition enforced and driven by the USA. The USA would be doing itself and the rest of the world a great favor if it would look for a exit strategy from the failed war on drugs and instead looked for a way to help its citizens reduce their dependence on destructive drugs.

--
Humberto Romero
www.casaarcoiriszihuatanejo.com

I’m right you’re wrong, no I’m right you’re wrong. It’s pretty clear that the U.S. government cares little for the little people, with their actions at prevention and education. Drugs certainly are used in a greater proportion the lower you go on the economic scale. We see the same thing with with the economy, big banks and Wall Street firms are bailed out with little consternation by the big whigs. Yet the individuals who got bailed out after Covid are blamed for inflating prices, so we raise interest rates to kick them out of their jobs and increase unemployment. Mexico does little to the cartels, because the politicians have been paid by them in the past. The manufacturing of drugs or possession of salable quantities is a crime in Mexico. The wealthy class in Mexico is entrenched, they don’t want new members, so those with ambition turn to crime. Stealing money from the tortillerias or the lime or avocado farmers, basically goes unchecked as well as the drug trade. The governments point fingers because they don’t want the blame, and you guys arguing here, fall for it. Buying and selling are the same transaction. For change to occur you also need joint efforts by the governments, but hey that costs money.

Most politicians here don't stand up to the cartels because they and their families will get killed if they do. Like I said, Mexico has a lot of poor people and folks can certainly use the money no matter the source, but even Mexico's president isn't doing what needs doing even though the Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that people have a right to ingest whatever they want as long as they don't negatively affect others or otherwise cause themselves to be a public burden, recognizing that it isn't the consumer's fault that the substances they want to use must currently be provided by a black market controlled by violent criminals. Their point was that the substances should be available legally to the consumer so that the black market isn't necessary, something the government still hasn't followed through on to comply with the court.

So while past government's played silly games known as the war on drugs, compromising the police and putting their lives more at risk than their pay was worth, the current federal government decided not to play and instead focused on trying to keep young people from becoming fodder for organized criminals. It will take decades for the police to get up to speed, but all things remaining equal, they will always remain outgunned and outspent by the cartels, and soon even by the smaller gangs that have sprouted to replace all the previously arrested criminals who almost seemed like gentlemen compared to today's gangbangers. Thus the urgency of legalizing popular substances.

There is little debate among U.S. and even Mexican officials that almost all the fentanyl consumed in the United States is produced and processed in Mexico.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/09/mexico-fentanyl-epidemic-overdoses/ec05cf7c-beaa-11ed-9350-7c5fccd598ad_story.html

Fentanyl is made in CHINA. Most fentanyl that enters the USA comes directly from China.

Proof to back up your words? Or just your "feelings" Can you post a link?

The article you posted and quoted from earlier stated that the materials to process the fentanyl came from China. Rob may be mistaken that the fentanyl comes directly from China but the source of the materials is China. So yes, the drug is processed and distributed from Mexico but the original source is China. But hey, you "owned the liberal" Rob and that is all that matters, right? We aren't here to discuss the problem and how to fix it. We are here to put down each other and feel smug and righteous.

Why don't we argue over how many angels can fit on the head of a pin? That will help the situation!

In the meantime, let's assume that you are King of World and could wave a magic wand and all the drug cartels and processing and distribution channels are eradicated from Mexico. The drugs will just come from some other place. The price will rise as the cost of production and distribution will increase but the demand will still be there.

I know! You can again wave your magic Nancy Reagan "Just Say No" wand and everyone in the Whole Wide World will stop using illegal drugs and just drink beer. That's how we will solve the problem! Oh, darned, Just Say No just didn't work, did it?

We are at an impasse. You fail to acknowledge that the War on Drugs has been a dismal and costly and ruinous failure. You believe that if only we tried harder, we could rid the world of illegal drugs. If only we sentenced drugs dealers and users to death, then that would solve the problem. Not only are you delusional, you are stone cold wrong. Totalitarian governments that mete out the death penalty for dealers and users have also failed to stop the usage. Humans have been dealing with addiction for thousands of years.

However, since you feel it is fine to speak for others, I would submit that you would be just fine if we brought back wholesale public executions. You would be sitting in the front row, guzzling your beer, as your friend who became addicted was hung by the neck for moral failure.

There is little debate among U.S. and even Mexican officials that almost all the fentanyl consumed in the United States is produced and processed in Mexico.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/09/mexico-fentanyl-epidemic-overdoses/ec05cf7c-beaa-11ed-9350-7c5fccd598ad_story.html

Fentanyl is made in CHINA. Most fentanyl that enters the USA comes directly from China.

Proof to back up your words? Or just your "feelings" Can you post a link?

Here's a link, and its headline would make you think you were right and I was wrong, but then read what it actually says, and OOPS, I've been right all along. Fentanyl is sent to Mexico by the Chinese. Cartels simply change its form to smuggle it into the USA.

https://www.infobae.com/mexico/2023/03/14/los-datos-que-desmienten-a-amlo-y-ebrard-sobre-la-produccion-y-consumo-de-fentanilo-en-mexico/

This whole fentanyl problem is just an extension of the USA's opioid problem. For some reason, U.S. narcos are allowed to operate in plain sight, have their lobbyists wine & dine politicians in Washington D.C., and they even get to keep their money after being caught without serving any prison time. Just ask the Sackler family. Mind boggling!