End of preview - This article contains approximately 1060 words.
Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article
Not a Subscriber?
Choose from one of the following options
Back
Latin American illicit drug business
Bomb Mexico?
In both countries public debate over fentanyl is deeply influenced by electoral politics. Mexico is preparing for presidential and general elections in June 2024. The US is in the early stage of the primaries campaign, ahead of the general election due in November 2024. Politicians in both countries are therefore looking to develop vote-winning narratives around issues of crime, drug trafficking, and migration. Conventional wisdom suggests Mexican politicians do well appealing to nationalist and anti-US sentiment, although this may be changing. Likewise, US politicians have gained from articulating anti-immigrant sentiment, particularly over drugs, immigration, and the alleged loss of US blue collar jobs resulting from trade with Mexico. In the current developing primaries campaign, important sections of the US Republican party seem to believe once more that there are votes to be won by taking a hard-line anti-Mexico stance.
- Introduction
- The fentanyl epidemic
- Fentanyl and the US-China-Mexico triangle
- The growth of fentanyl money laundering
- Problem: Weak Mexico-US cooperation
- Fentanyl and post-truth politics
- Bomb Mexico?
- Biden’s dilemma
- Colombia hopes for cocaine anti-narcotics win
- Watch the pharmacists
- Expect slow change in the drug business