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- cross-posted to:
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The mayor of a Mexican city plagued by drug violence has been murdered less than a week after taking office.
Alejandro Arcos was found dead on Sunday in Chilpancingo, a city of around 280,000 people in the southwestern state of Guerrero. He had been mayor for six days.
Evelyn Salgado, the state governor, said the city was in mourning over a murder that “fills us with indignation”. His death came three days after the city government’s new secretary, Francisco Tapia, was shot dead.
Authorities have not released details of the investigation, or suspects. However, Guerrero is one of the worst-affected states for drug violence and drug cartels have murdered dozens of politicians across the country.
The root problem is that there is a huge self capturing black market demand for drugs, which itself is a problem rooted in capitalist countries throughout the americas prioritizing GDP expansion over human wellbeing.
It’s the result of failing healthcare systems, the evaporation of 3rd places, the requirement of a car to survive, the failing housing system, the lack of job security and mobility, etc
No amount of military intervention can change that. Even if you somehow successfully destroyed every cartel with a button press, they’d all be replaced overnight because of the huge demand for drugs.
What can actually effect the demand is:
food, water, housing, education and healthcare being well funded human rights
mixed used development/relaxation of zoning laws
transportation infrastructure that allows people to actually have a choice in how they get places
unions, workplace democracy, worker protections
You get the picture. Life actually has to be worth living.
if we’re going to argue market forces here, just legalize drugs and tax them.
It’s that simple.
But regardless, getting rid of the mexican cartel specifically would be beneficial for many, many other reasons. Notably political instability.
The US legalising drugs would be the biggest step forward possible. Not saying the issues you listed aren’t linked. But they aren’t as directly correlated.
Legalizing heroin isnt going to stop it coming in the borders it will just make it easier to sell. There are still gray markets in areas with legalized drugs now.