Study: In Drug War, US Should Support Civilian Instead Of Military Efforts
A new report is recommending the U.S. stop supporting the military in Mexico’s war on drug trafficking.
Military deployment has increased violence since the beginning of Mexico’s war on drug trafficking. That’s according to Froylan Enciso, the lead author of a new report from the International Crisis Group.
"Militarized strategies are not working to prevent violence in Mexico," Enciso says.
The report makes a direct connection between corruption and violence, so it suggests that instead of supporting the military to the tune of almost $140 million a year through the Merida Initiative, the U.S. should support civilian efforts to prevent grafting. For example, a newly created commission to investigate previous corrupt governors in the southern state of Veracruz.
"Supporting the Truth Commission of Veracruz would be a good way to foster civil society initiatives in order to prevent violence and help to build democratic institutions in Mexico," Enciso says.
Former Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte is being investigated for corruption and is linked to real estate holdings in the U.S., including in Scottsdale.
Veracruz is one of Mexico’s states that has struggled the most with corruption in the last 12 years, but Enciso says it’s representative of systemic issues throughout Mexico.
