Jairo Padilla
English- 7th
3/23/2012
Mexican Drug War Hell
There were 6,000 drug related assassinations in Mexico in the year 2008; which as one of the years with the highest number of murders in that nation (Loyola, 2009). There has been a war against drugs for well over twenty years (Stout, 2012). Yet, we still have not seen much done against it, as the cartels have gained more power now than before. The current drug war climate in Mexico and now in the United States has caused breakdown in families, overall fear and an increase in drug addiction.
This increase in violence in Mexico has also brought an increase in research and reporting on the issue. Newspapers and research have reported the names of the main cartels and what type of drugs they transport across Mexico in order to be able to reach the United States. The three major cartels in the drug war are Cartel de Sinaloa, Los Zetas, and La Familia Michoacana. The Cartel of Sinaloa is closely located in thirteen states the main states being Sonora, Chihuahua, Baja California, and Coahuila(Beittel, 2011). These states are the most important because they are border states, and it is easier for them to smuggle drugs into the United States as they won’t have much competition while distributing theirs drugs to the certain people in charge of transporting the drugs across. Los Zetas is one of the most dangerous cartel groups in Mexico as they are the most violent. This group was first created as hired assassins for the Gulf Cartel, but eventually wanted to be their own elite group and know since 2010 the Zetas and Gulf Cartel have been fighting between themselves for control of territories within certain states. The Zetas are not a major smuggling cartel as, they create their money by forcing big companies such as hotels or casinos into accepting their protection (Beittel, 2011). Many accept this as they do not want their business to be part of the Mexican warfare occurring. Another way in which cartels get money is by kidnapping people and asking for huge rescue prices. La Familia Michoacana is almost alike to Los Zetas as they are violent, but have started to go into the drug smuggling as well. The main illegal drugs being transported into the United States are cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine (Beittel, 2011). This shows society what the reasons are for the large amounts of murders that have been created just for something that will make other people’s lives miserable.
These cartels have broken down many families. There have been massive amounts of reported kidnappings in México that have been related to the drug cartels. At least 300 families have reported missing persons (Loyola, 2009). This is sad because there is no reason why anyone should live through this torment and torture of not knowing where their family member is, or what is being done to that person. Families do not know if they will ever come back or not. Even worse, to go through it as the person being kidnapped. This person does not know what is being done to save him or her. Also knowing that there is little you can possibly do to help your own self. Sometimes the person kidnapped has to go days even weeks without being able to eat, but only drink water. Taking beatings from the kidnappers is another thing that will have victim in shock. For example, in 2009 there was a kidnapping of a seventeen year old boy in which the cartel demanded the family to give them $1 million in ransom (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). This amount is very difficult to obtain in a country that doesn’t produce that many well paying jobs or very good education to have enough to pay the money that they are asked for. This can make families give all of their lives savings to a cartel group because they kidnapped a member of their family. This shows us how families that are related and not related to drug cartels have to suffer because cartels are using fear and intimidation with wealthy families in a new way to gain power and wealth.
This drug war has created fear all over and throughout border cities and towns. There are currently more than 50,000 troops out patrolling the streets of towns of Mexico (Stout, 2012). This seems like it should be a great thing for Mexico, but it really is not as many people rather not go out to the streets when they know the Mexican troops are stationed in their town as there can be gunfire at any time because when troops are in one location this means that they are searching for a person in that area. Juarez Cartel also sent out a notice that they were going to be killing a police officer every 48 hours until the police chief stepped down and left his position (Loyola, 2009). This is not fair for many police officers because they are just going out to do their service that they are supposed to do. Now they have to be concerned about being ambushed at any moment just because a cartel doesn’t want a certain person to be in charge of the seat they were given by the head government. In the year 2008 there were 1,200 assassinations in Tijuana (Loyola, 2009). If just one location accumulated these numbers fear is the only thing people will feel when they go out to buy necessary things such as food or house materials. More staggering number when in 2005 from the month of January to the month of August 100 people were murdered (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). That is an average of about 12 persons being murdered every month or three every week just because of a ridiculous drug war. These deaths seem to continue hiking as every year goes by more and more deaths are reported. In the year 2007 2,275 murders, 2008 5,207 murders, and in 2009 6,587 murders were reported all being related to the drug war occurring in Mexico (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). For the looks of these statistics it seems that murders will continue to going up at a fast pace at it has gone through the three years listed. These statistics demonstrate that the drug war is beyond control of the government and that there aren’t many people with a good heart as they are willing to kill just for a thing called cartel pride.
This drug war has made many people start using drugs and become addicted. Billions of dollars are spent every year on illegal drugs. In the year 2000 Americans alone spent $62.9 billion on illegal drugs (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). From that amount $36.1 billion was spent on cocaine (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). These are large numbers that should not be this huge this money should be spent on more important things such as education such as college tuition or in your own family which is important and valuable not a drug that will just cause you to have a terrible life socially and personally. These people who buy drugs help out and should also be given responsibility for the number of deaths because cartels have a war with each other because they want the most customers so they can manage to gain more money so they can grow or create more drugs. Drug trafficking organizations generate in the range of $17 billion to $ 38 billion annually in grosswhole sale from drug sales in the United Sates alone ( Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). This economy that we are going through leaves young people with little opportunities to manage to have a good education and have a good career this is a reason why most teens rely on drug trafficking to earn money to live a day in a country filled with poverty.
The drug war has been around for plenty of years; yet people have not seen it slow down, or come close to ending. I have friends and sadly family members who have been hit by these terrible acts. This is a terrible life, and also worse to live around it and have fear for your own life day in day out. The drug war separates families, creates fear in citizens, and causes people to become addicted to terrible drugs. This should stop immediately.
English- 7th
3/23/2012
Mexican Drug War Hell
There were 6,000 drug related assassinations in Mexico in the year 2008; which as one of the years with the highest number of murders in that nation (Loyola, 2009). There has been a war against drugs for well over twenty years (Stout, 2012). Yet, we still have not seen much done against it, as the cartels have gained more power now than before. The current drug war climate in Mexico and now in the United States has caused breakdown in families, overall fear and an increase in drug addiction.
This increase in violence in Mexico has also brought an increase in research and reporting on the issue. Newspapers and research have reported the names of the main cartels and what type of drugs they transport across Mexico in order to be able to reach the United States. The three major cartels in the drug war are Cartel de Sinaloa, Los Zetas, and La Familia Michoacana. The Cartel of Sinaloa is closely located in thirteen states the main states being Sonora, Chihuahua, Baja California, and Coahuila(Beittel, 2011). These states are the most important because they are border states, and it is easier for them to smuggle drugs into the United States as they won’t have much competition while distributing theirs drugs to the certain people in charge of transporting the drugs across. Los Zetas is one of the most dangerous cartel groups in Mexico as they are the most violent. This group was first created as hired assassins for the Gulf Cartel, but eventually wanted to be their own elite group and know since 2010 the Zetas and Gulf Cartel have been fighting between themselves for control of territories within certain states. The Zetas are not a major smuggling cartel as, they create their money by forcing big companies such as hotels or casinos into accepting their protection (Beittel, 2011). Many accept this as they do not want their business to be part of the Mexican warfare occurring. Another way in which cartels get money is by kidnapping people and asking for huge rescue prices. La Familia Michoacana is almost alike to Los Zetas as they are violent, but have started to go into the drug smuggling as well. The main illegal drugs being transported into the United States are cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine (Beittel, 2011). This shows society what the reasons are for the large amounts of murders that have been created just for something that will make other people’s lives miserable.
These cartels have broken down many families. There have been massive amounts of reported kidnappings in México that have been related to the drug cartels. At least 300 families have reported missing persons (Loyola, 2009). This is sad because there is no reason why anyone should live through this torment and torture of not knowing where their family member is, or what is being done to that person. Families do not know if they will ever come back or not. Even worse, to go through it as the person being kidnapped. This person does not know what is being done to save him or her. Also knowing that there is little you can possibly do to help your own self. Sometimes the person kidnapped has to go days even weeks without being able to eat, but only drink water. Taking beatings from the kidnappers is another thing that will have victim in shock. For example, in 2009 there was a kidnapping of a seventeen year old boy in which the cartel demanded the family to give them $1 million in ransom (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). This amount is very difficult to obtain in a country that doesn’t produce that many well paying jobs or very good education to have enough to pay the money that they are asked for. This can make families give all of their lives savings to a cartel group because they kidnapped a member of their family. This shows us how families that are related and not related to drug cartels have to suffer because cartels are using fear and intimidation with wealthy families in a new way to gain power and wealth.
This drug war has created fear all over and throughout border cities and towns. There are currently more than 50,000 troops out patrolling the streets of towns of Mexico (Stout, 2012). This seems like it should be a great thing for Mexico, but it really is not as many people rather not go out to the streets when they know the Mexican troops are stationed in their town as there can be gunfire at any time because when troops are in one location this means that they are searching for a person in that area. Juarez Cartel also sent out a notice that they were going to be killing a police officer every 48 hours until the police chief stepped down and left his position (Loyola, 2009). This is not fair for many police officers because they are just going out to do their service that they are supposed to do. Now they have to be concerned about being ambushed at any moment just because a cartel doesn’t want a certain person to be in charge of the seat they were given by the head government. In the year 2008 there were 1,200 assassinations in Tijuana (Loyola, 2009). If just one location accumulated these numbers fear is the only thing people will feel when they go out to buy necessary things such as food or house materials. More staggering number when in 2005 from the month of January to the month of August 100 people were murdered (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). That is an average of about 12 persons being murdered every month or three every week just because of a ridiculous drug war. These deaths seem to continue hiking as every year goes by more and more deaths are reported. In the year 2007 2,275 murders, 2008 5,207 murders, and in 2009 6,587 murders were reported all being related to the drug war occurring in Mexico (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). For the looks of these statistics it seems that murders will continue to going up at a fast pace at it has gone through the three years listed. These statistics demonstrate that the drug war is beyond control of the government and that there aren’t many people with a good heart as they are willing to kill just for a thing called cartel pride.
This drug war has made many people start using drugs and become addicted. Billions of dollars are spent every year on illegal drugs. In the year 2000 Americans alone spent $62.9 billion on illegal drugs (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). From that amount $36.1 billion was spent on cocaine (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). These are large numbers that should not be this huge this money should be spent on more important things such as education such as college tuition or in your own family which is important and valuable not a drug that will just cause you to have a terrible life socially and personally. These people who buy drugs help out and should also be given responsibility for the number of deaths because cartels have a war with each other because they want the most customers so they can manage to gain more money so they can grow or create more drugs. Drug trafficking organizations generate in the range of $17 billion to $ 38 billion annually in grosswhole sale from drug sales in the United Sates alone ( Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). This economy that we are going through leaves young people with little opportunities to manage to have a good education and have a good career this is a reason why most teens rely on drug trafficking to earn money to live a day in a country filled with poverty.
The drug war has been around for plenty of years; yet people have not seen it slow down, or come close to ending. I have friends and sadly family members who have been hit by these terrible acts. This is a terrible life, and also worse to live around it and have fear for your own life day in day out. The drug war separates families, creates fear in citizens, and causes people to become addicted to terrible drugs. This should stop immediately.