Police capacity building courses for Mexican law enforcement …show more content…
With millions of Mexicans living in poverty, it is very difficult to solve a problem like this because these people only have a few options. They can migrate somewhere new, work very hard jobs and sometimes dangerous jobs, or resort to crime. Unfortunately crime is an option that is chosen by many because you can make a lot of money in a short period of time. The Merida Initiative is not only focused on the border between Mexico and the United States but also the states themselves. Alternative incarceration courts have been established throughout Mexico to give drug users another way out. This action will help reduce drug users in those areas thus lowering the demand for drugs. “A secure, cross-border telecommunications system between ten U.S. and Mexican border sister cities, has been established” (U.S. Department of State). This system provides security on both sides of the border and the capability to exchange information about crimes happening in either states. Scanners, X-ray machines, and other inspection equipment have been provided to enhance the Mexican government’s ability to detect weapons and drugs at checkpoints and ports of entry into the country. All of these actions are big steps closer to the end of the war on drugs and …show more content…
The Merida Initiative needs to focus some attention the demand for drugs in America. If we can lower the demand for drugs in the United States then we can lower the drug and gun trafficking crimes coming from Mexico. The US also needs to look more into drug cartels weapons and how they acquired them. It is estimated that 90% of weapons used by drug cartels come from the U.S (Witness For Peace). If we keep supplying the cartels with weapons then they will keep getting stronger and keep expanding. Some ways we can prevent the cartels from getting our weapons are devise plans to transport weapons secretly so the convoy will not get intercepted by the cartels or come up with meeting area that are very well protected and have no chance of getting compromised. Simple actions such as these can go a long way in the fight against the cartels. According to the most recent Latinobarometer study 21 percent of the Mexican population is “satisfied with the functioning of democracy” (Ackerman). If Mexican officials could figure out a way to raise that percentage and get more people satisfied with what they are doing they would make a lot more progress on the war on drugs. The more people they have behind their back trying to stop this problem the faster it will be solved. Peña Nieto himself overspent 12 times the limit for his 2012 presidential