"No alternative".. for the poor ones

Officialy, more than 10 thousands people were slaughtered in Mexico from the beginning of the 2010 in drug-related violence, approximately 28 thousands from 2006. The figure is probably much higher. I stopped counting in July. The worst situation is supposed to be in the north of Mexico (in media mainly emphasized Ciudad Juarez, the most dangerous city in the world). Nevertheless, some friends of mine living in “calmer” states like Morelos or Guerrero also feel to be in threat and warn, that the situation is not better anywhere. According to their stories, they know, what they say. Armed gangs ambush a disco from time to time, looking for the “enemies” from another gangs or traitors from its own, violating girls who had been previously scared to death. Mexicans live with dread. Uncertainty, fear and mistrust toward everything, but also indifference. Welcome to Mexico, 2010.

Despite not being neither “PAN” member nor its biggest fan (I am convinced that the victory in the 2006 president´s elections wasn´t - to be diplomatic - the most transparent one), I belong to the group of people who support the current government and its president in the effort against Drug Cartels. Mr. Calderón is the first Mexican president ever, who apparently wants to change the status quo and the existing symbiosis of public government with the drug cartels. Unfortunately, I can not agree with the strategy the government implemented while tackling the drug cartels. It´s a disastrous, bloody one, without clear objective, from certain point, a similar one, like Bushe´s war on terror. Similarly to Mr. Bush, also Mr. Calderón had denominated his fight, in this case against Drug cartels, as a “War against Narco”. This war can not be won, and I´m convinced that Mr. Calderon knows it, despite he keeps claiming opposite. He´s like a bull. You can´t fight the gangs (and especially the cartels) with guns, whatever powerful you have, but with intelligence. I know, you may oppose, saying: “Dear writer, After a battle, everybody is a general”.

But everybody, who isn´t blind, can see that the strategy of the government was too naïve, too bad, without keeping in mind the experiences of Colombia and other countries almost devastated by drug cartels in previous decades.
With a great pomp, the Mexican marines (which should not do this job at all) arrest cartel leaders, burn confiscated drugs, and do not realize, that each Cartel will always have a new leader (substituted by one of the 8 or 10 brothers the capo normally had).

In July this year, it had seemed that the government finally realized there was a necessity of reevaluate the strategy, and after some changes in Mr. Calderon´s cabinet, there was also established a Dialogue on security, where nearly all of the branches of Mexican society participated. But few things and new goals were put into practice.

Instead, Mr. Calderón continues with his speeches full of determination and necessity to knock down the Drug cartels. “There is no alternative”, Mr. President says. He resembles a superhero, ex-President Bush – or a child, who doesn´t care of the consequences of its act. How many innocent Mexicans were killed in this war? Nobody knows, government says that 90% of the casualties come from the gangs and cartels. Then, there must be still at least 3000 innnocent people who lost their lives from the beginning of PAN´s government childish adventure. Even if Mr. Calderon´s “Fight for Security” (how he calls is now) ends one day, the whole Mexican society will remain with a clear and very deep scar. The people will be scared of everything and everyone, they will not trust each other - the basic premise of a functional and health society.

From my point of view, there is an alternative. Just try to analyse the problems that the Mexican society has (a topic for another post). Without detecting the problem from its roots, it will be quite impossible to get rid of it.

The biggest problem should be called by a different name:

Not drugs, but a Lack of O P P O R T U N I T I E S.
If the poorest Mexicans would have opportunities and future and choice, they would have also chance to choose another career, distinct to join the Narcos.

So, what is the plan of the Government now? Well, to create another thousands of jobs…jobs, which are being mentioned daily in the commercial spots on the TV, jobs, in which one will earn from 7-8 thousands pesos monthly, the same what earns daily a Mexican teenager, when he grabs his schoolbag filled with marihuana, older brother´s visa, cross the border and returns in the afternoon. What would you choose, dear readers, if you would´ve been poor and without education? Work hard on a “lucrative” position offered in a factory, or smuggle drugs?

The last, and very notable thing. It´s true, that the Mexican problems are co-caused also by the drug-demand from the USA. However, I would hesitate to claim, like the majority of the Mexicans do, that the US demand is the MOST IMPORTANT factor which influences the situation in the country. Inspite of the fact that the USA (300 mil. habitants) is said to be the biggest drug market in the world, the drug consumption there has been declining since 1990´s. Europe (500 mil. habitants), and in particular its Western part, is obviously the second hugest market in the World (if not the first one). Many Mexicans say: "The cartels are powerful and there is violence, because the USA demands drugs". If the assumption should be confirmed, then, we should find some European countries, the transfer ones, with the same problems that Mexico has. There are different ways through which the drugs come to Europe, but one of the most important leads from the Balkans to the Central Europe and then to the West. Do the Central-europeans cry and blame the Western ones of the consumption? Do the Central-europeans have problems with drug-related violence? And is the Central-European society breaking into pieces, like the Mexican?


Map and picture from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/9130155.stm

See more at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11174174
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/9130155.stm