What have we learned from the War on Drugs? an assessment of Mexico's counternarcotics strategy

Abstract

Forty years ago, U.S. President Richard Nixon declared war on drugs. From the beginning, the United States has pursued a strategy focused on the supply-side of the issue, emphasizing eradication, interdiction, and incarceration and has pressured the government of Mexico to employ the same strategy at every opportunity. Over the course of time, the U.S. and Mexican governments pursued the strategy dictated by Washington to relatively little effect. Now, in the face of increasing power and autonomy among the cartels, Mexico has acted independently to combat the rising levels of violence. Despite the apparent absence of pressure from the U.S., or evidence of likely success, Mexico still took action straight out of the U.S. playbook. This thesis will examine why that has been the case.