Drug Cartels Govern Mexico

Source: nytimes.com

In Mexico, drug cartels have long held more power than the authorities, and recently a photographer for a Mexican newspaper was shot and killed, presumably for a story he was writing that somehow offended one of the gangs.

“We want you to explain to us what you want from us,” the front-page editorial in El Diario in Ciudad Juárez asked the leaders of organized crime. “What are we supposed to publish or not publish, so we know what to abide by. You are at this time the de facto authorities in this city because the legal authorities have not been able to stop our colleagues from falling.” -New York Times

Ciudad Juárez is one of Mexico's most dangerous cities, with thousands of homicides each year. In Mexico, police get more money from bribes than they would get from the government for doing their job right. This leads to Mexican police being lenient with gang members. Obviously they don't allow the gangs to murder innocent people, but when the drug cartels have more money and power than the police force, the strong arm turns limp.

This is important to the United States because if Mexico cleans up their government, reforms their social policies, and gets rid of the gangs once and for all, the country would be much safer, and would be one less reason for Mexicans to illegally immigrate to the US. I believe immigration is a great thing, but only when done legally. Now Mexico just needs some money. Too bad we don't have any to help them out.