Mexican Drug Trafficking

From the latter half of the twentieth century to the present, Mexico and Colombia have been on the forefront of widespread illegal drug trafficking. They produce and export the greatest amount of illegal drugs — marijuana, cocaine, and heroin — and distribute these illegal narcotics worldwide. These countries also contain the most violent and powerful drug cartels who play prevalent roles in drug trafficking in their countries. Consequently, these nations’ relations with other nations worldwide have shifted due to rampant drug trafficking. Drug trafficking has significantly impacted both Colombia’s and Mexico’s relationships with other independent nations like the U.S. and U.K.; the matters have stimulated positive and cooperative opportunities …show more content…
Mexico and the U.S. have had a long history of collaboration. In the 1970's, the U.S. began to provide Mexico with equipment to eliminate marijuana and opium poppy fields. Because the U.S. was the highest consumer of drugs, they did not ignore the uncontrollable international drug trafficking affairs in Mexico. Former Mexican President, Felipe Calderón (2006-2012), got the U.S. to accept the war on drugs as a co-responsibility between the U.S. and Mexico. As reported by Ray Walser, a policy analysis, In March of 2007, during President Bush's trip to Latin America, he met with President Calderón at Merida in the Yucatan; both presidents agreed to create a program to enhance Mexico's skill to combat drug trafficking, and later, they both evaluated the program in August of 2007 with the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, in Montebello, Canada. On October 22, 2007, the U.S. and Mexico created a list of principles, launching the Merida Initiative. Mexico promised to enhance its ability to fight the drug traffickers within their country, and the U.S. promised to reduce the demand for illegal …show more content…
The issue has influenced how Columbia and Mexico created cooperative relationships that strengthened ties between Mexico, and the U.S., Colombia and U.K., Colombia and the U.S. Mexico’s drug trafficking issues have created an incentive for U.S. involvement and collaboration. Collaboration spawned brilliant and successful plans such as the Merida Initiative, strengthening ties between each country. Collaboration between the U.K. and Colombia also created a positive relationship by establishing their “shared responsibility” in response to Colombia’s high Cocaine production. Additionally, it has also created financial opportunities for countries who needed financial assistance; the U.S. has provided both Colombia and Mexico financial assistance, so they were better equipped to their fight against their drug trafficking through military and police enhancement. After all, the rampant drug trafficking throughout Colombia and Mexico allowed outside countries like the U.S. and U.K. to play a key role in collaborative opportunities, financially aid, and military aid; this assistance has overall strengthened