Fighting Corruption in Mexico: Lessons from Colombia
Abstract
The elevated levels of violence seen recently in Mexico are not a sign of a worsening security situation as the media would lead one to believe. Instead, they give witness that the Government of Mexico has implemented an unparalleled offensive against the deadly drug cartels. Despite the unprecedented assault against the cartels, cartel prevalence and violence is increasing when it should be decreasing. Drawbacks, such as widespread corruption within Mexican public agencies, have provided cartels with the flexibility to avoid functional elimination. The inability of the Government of Mexico to address the problem of corruption effectively not only undermines the state s actions, but also encourages cartel influence. Similarly, Colombia has struggled against powerful drug cartels and other nefarious entities for nearly 60 years. Whilst the Government of Colombia struggled to target the criminal organizations, it was forced to tackle corruption, lack of security and other factors. The causal symptoms of Colombia s problems, while not identical to Mexico s, share several similarities identified through case studies and center of gravity analyses. Ultimately, lessons learned from Colombia s experience are scrutinized to determine their suitability for application in Mexico s war against its powerful cartels.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA547796
Entities
People
- Humberto O. Ventura
- Jonathan D. New
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School