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Stories of Drug Trafficking in Rural Mexico: Territories, Drugs and Cartels in Michoacán
Abstract:In the international media, drug-related violence, corruption and militarization have received much attention. While this is understandable in view of the prominence of border area operations of drug cartels, drug trafficking is a pervasive phenomenon in other parts of Mexico as well, not in the least in significant parts of Western Mexico (especially in Guerrero, Colima and Michoacán). The latter state has a long history of drug production and trafficking (poppies and marihuana), and of military campaigns against it, especially in the area known as the 'Tierra Caliente', Michoacán. In recent decades, however, the situation has acquired a new dimension. This paper will examine the socio-economic and political characteristics of the area and analyse the emergence of drug trafficking as part of profound processes of agrarian transformation, especially since the 1980s. What are these transformations and how can the drug economy of the area be understood? In recent years the Tierra Caliente has become the scene of particularly atrocious confrontations between rivalling drug cartels; hence it was also the first target of military intervention after Felipe Calderón assumed power. How is this explained and what are the main consequences for violence, human rights and the drug and peasant economy?Resumen: Historias del narcotráfico en el México rural: Territorios, drogas y cárteles en MichoacánEn los medios masivos internacionales el tema de las drogas y la violencia relacionada con la corrupción y la militarización ha recibido mucha atención. Si bien esto es comprensible en vista de la importancia de las operaciones de los cárteles de la droga en la zona fronteriza, el tráfico de drogas es un fenómeno generalizado en otras partes de México y de manera importante en el occidente de México (especialmente en Guerrero, Colima y Michoacán). Este último estado tiene una larga historia de producción y tráfico de drogas (marihuana y amapola), y de campañas militares en su contra, especialmente en el área conocida como la 'Tierra Caliente', Michoacán. En las últimas décadas, sin embargo, la situación ha adquirido una nueva dimensión. En este documento se examinan las características socio-económicas y políticas de la zona y analiza el surgimiento del narcotráfico como parte de profundos procesos de transformación agraria, sobre todo desde la década de 1980. ¿Cuáles son estas transformaciones y cómo puede comprenderse la economía de la droga en esta zona? En los últimos años la Tierra Caliente se convirtió en el escenario de enfrentamientos particularmente atroces entre cárteles de la droga rivales y por lo tanto también se convirtió en el primer objetivo de la intervención militar desde que Felipe Calderón asumió el poder. ¿Cómo se explica esto y cuáles son las principales consecuencias de la violencia, los derechos humanos y la droga y la economía campesina?
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Paco: a drug story
Drug trafficking and the "War on Drugs" in Mexico ; Narcotráfico y lucha antidrogas en México
This special report on the US-inspired "War on Drugs" in Mexico shows the inadequacy of a strategy modeled on the experience of the Andean countries. The author argues that the Mexican situation is signed by a series of particularities that does not fit the Andean model, in particular the fact that the US and Mexico share an extensive border, which possess the risk of a spillover of the drug-generated violence into the US territory. She arguments that the exam of the Iniciativa Mérida provides a series of lessons that may help to redesign the international efforts against drug trafficking. ; Este artículo presenta la situación actual del narcotráfico en México y lo que ha sido la lucha antidrogas adelantada en coordinación con Estados Unidos, así como el papel de los militares mexicanos en la misma. Este trabajo es parte de un proyecto de investigación que desarrollé hace algunos meses, y cuya hipótesis central hacía referencia a la necesaria diferenciación que tendría que existir entre la política antidrogas desarrollada por Estados Unidos en México y la adelantada en otros países –los Andes–, diferenciación que surgiría a partir de la cercanía territorial entre México y Estados Unidos y el consecuente riesgo de desbordamiento de la violencia de Sur a Norte.
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Orphan drugs ; Medicamentos huérfanos
Orphan drugs are intended for the treatment of diseases of low prevalence, also known as rare diseases. Research and development into new therapies for this heterogeneous group of diseases presents a number of well-recognized difficulties. One of these is that the small number of patients affected jeopardizes the economic return on the investment made by the pharmaceutical industry. For this reason, in the year 2000 the European Union brought out a specific European Regulation to promote and encourage the development of these therapies. After more than a decade, the results reveal a positive effect of the approval of that regulation. Currently, more than 1300 compounds have been designated orphan drugs, of which over 90 have already obtained marketing authorization. The voice of the patient has been key to producing this change and programs and research consortia promoted by the EU promise an even brighter future. ; Los medicamentos huérfanos son aquellos fármacos destinados al tratamiento de enfermedades de baja prevalencia, también conocidas como enfermedades raras. La investigación y desarrollo de nuevas terapias para este conjunto heterogéneo de enfermedades presenta una serie de dificultades que están bien reconocidas. Entre ellas, el reducido número de afectados compromete el retorno económico de la inversión realizada por parte de la industria farmacéutica. Por ello la Unión Europea en el año 2000 aprobó un Reglamento Europeo específico para favorecer e incentivar el desarrollo de estas terapias. Transcurrida más de una década, los resultados muestran el efecto positivo que la entrada en vigor de dicho Reglamento ha provocado. Actualmente se han designado más de 1300 compuestos, de los cuales más de 90 ya han obtenido la autorización de comercialización. La voz de los pacientes ha sido clave para el devenir de este cambio y los programas y consorcios promovidos por la UE prometen todavía un futuro más esperanzador.
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An experiment about drugs legalization and the investor behavior
The illegal drugs market is one of the main issues in the political agenda in Colombia. Literature has focused on legalization in consumption (demand) but studies about legalization of production (supply) are scarce. Taking into account that Colombia is a country leading in drugs production but not drugs consumption in the world, it is relevant to understand illegal drugs supply. The elements that influence decisions about drugs production and the investor behavior under certain incentives have received few attention. In order to analyze the behavioral structure of investment decisions, this paper conducts a laboratory experiment. The aim is to analyze the effect of three different factors influencing the individual decision to invest when a business is related to (i) a criminal activity (illegal), (ii) drugs, or (iii) a negative social effect (negative externality) using a between subjects design. The experiment has two parts. Part I is a replication of the "Ten Paired Lottery-Choice Decisions" by Holt and Laury (2002) to measure individual's risk aversion level. Part II keeps the same structure but shows a frame that varies three elements along treatments: type of business (drugs-related or neutral), legal status (illegal or legal) and the presence of a negative externality. The experiment was applied on 141 undergraduate students of the Universidad del Rosario. Results show a robust gender effect meaning that women are more risk averse than men and they are more prone to increase their risk aversion level in Part II while they revealed more conservative attitudes in front of drugs policies in the post experiment survey. No evidence was found of any effects of illegality and the negative externality on investment decisions. Descriptive comparisons suggest an unwillingness to invest in a drugs-related business. These results suggest that neither illegality nor the existence of a negative externality are efficient elements to discourage investment.
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"War on drugs" and "hate crimes" historical-legislative approach and adaption of the anti-drug conventions in Indochina : compulsory detention centers for drug users. ; «War on Drugs»y«hate crimes» Acercamiento histórico-legislativo y adaptación de las convenciones antidrogas en Indochina: internami...
After more than six decades since the beginning of the wrongly denominated «war on drugs» against the widespread consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, United Nations Drug Conventions persevere –and this despite their proven ineffectiveness of persecution against a diffused enemy and severe conflicts of interests among the signatory states. A reading of the 1961 Convention (SC ) and the consequent legislation shows that limits of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) itself have been clearly exceeded. Proof of this is the criminalization, and consequent discrimination per se, of small producers and traditional or voluntary consumers of some of the substances prohibited in the Drug Conventions– being as a result de iure direct victims of «hate crimes». A direct result of this international discrimination are the exorbitant sums surrounding the world of drug trafficking, sheltered under the well-known bank secrecy in tax havens, which year after year collaborate in the maintenance and reinforcement of organized crime. All this without forgetting the so-called animus negocialis of the pharmaceutical industry, monopolized by international restriction of production and of voluntary or traditional consumption. With this study, we try to expose how the international communities have fixed some excessive goals, without taking into account the resulting collateral damage and without guaranteeing the respect of their own jus naturale, which can lead to numerous possible interpretations in the different legislations –like in Indochina, where prevention and rehabilitation centers are often understood as livelong imprisonment. ; Tras más de seis décadas del inicio de la mal denominada «war on drugs», las Convenciones Antidrogas (CA) perseveran en la línea trazada pese a su constatada ineficacia y conflictos entre los diferentes Estados signatarios. De la lectura de la Convención Única de 1961 (CU) y de las consecuentes legislaciones internas, comprobaremos que taxativamente se han sobrepasado los límites de la propia Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos (DUDH), mediante la criminalización y consecuente discriminación per se, hacia los pequeños productores y consumidores tradicionales o voluntarios, resultando así estos, de iure, víctimas directas de «delitos de odio». Consecuencia directa de esta discriminación internacional, son las conocidas desorbitadas cifras económicas que rodean el mundo del narcotráfico, refugiadas bajo el conocido secreto bancario que año tras año, colaboran al sostenimiento y fortalecimiento del crimen organizado. Sin obviar el denotado animus negocialis de la industria farmacéutica, monopolizada de lex lata, mediante la restricción internacional a la producción y consumo voluntarios o tradicionales, trataremos de exponer, como la comunidad internacional fijó unos objetivos de imposible cumplimiento, sin respetar su propio ius naturale, dando lugar a disparidad de interpretaciones y contundentes legislaciones, como las de la región Indochina, en las que las medidas de prevención y rehabilitación se confunden con la prisión permanente. After more than six decades since the beginning of the wrongly denominated «war on drugs» against the widespread consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, United Nations Drug Conventions persevere –and this despite their proven ineffectiveness of persecution against a diffused enemy and severe conflicts of interests among the signatory states. A reading of the 1961 Convention (SC ) and the consequent legislation shows that limits of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) itself have been clearly exceeded. Proof of this is the criminalization, and consequent discrimination per se, of small producers and traditional or voluntary consumers of some of the substances prohibited in the Drug Conventions– being as a result de iure direct victims of «hate crimes». A direct result of this international discrimination are the exorbitant sums surrounding the world of drug trafficking, sheltered under the well-known bank secrecy in tax havens, which year after year collaborate in the maintenance and reinforcement of organized crime. All this without forgetting the so-called animus negocialis of the pharmaceutical industry, monopolized by international restriction of production and of voluntary or traditional consumption. With this study, we try to expose how the international communities have fixed some excessive goals, without taking into account the resulting collateral damage and without guaranteeing the respect of their own jus naturale, which can lead to numerous possible interpretations in the different legislations –like in Indochina, where prevention and rehabilitation centers are often understood as livelong imprisonment.
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Modernidad y drogas desde una perspectiva histórica
In: Revista mexicana de ciencias políticas y sociales, Band 60, Heft 225, S. 21-43
ISSN: 2448-492X
Measures for countering drug trafficking in Russia and Germany
In: Cuestiones Políticas; Edición de octubre de 2022, Band 40, Heft 74, S. 410-424
ISSN: 2542-3185
The aim of this research was to develop a coherent theoretical proposal for counteracting drug trafficking in Russia and Germany. The methodological basis of the research is the dialectical and worldview approach. The latter determined the application of the general principles of cognition to study the current situation of drug abuse in Russia and Germany. Among the results stands out the fact that, previously tested forms of preventive work require careful restructuring and adjustment on the example of the implementation of the Strategy of the State Anti-Drug Policy of the Russian Federation until 2030, which implies the involvement of various actors in the organization of preventive work. In addition, the scientific results of the research include a critical analysis of the legislation on drug trafficking, trends in the drug situation and criminological study of persons involved in drug trafficking. In conclusion, the authors provided a legal formulation of certain areas of the fight against drug trafficking in the Russian Federation and Germany.
Is the Godfather of Mexico's Drug Trade Back in Business?
The founder of Mexico's notorious and now defunct Guadalajara Cartel, Rafael Caro Quintero, has been linked to two recent events that have raised alarm among authorities three years after a controversial court ruling freed the veteran drug lord and current fugitive from prison. Sorting out fact from fiction is rarely easy when it comes to matters of organized crime. But if the central government's intelligence is true to its name, it does appear that Caro Quintero, despite 28 years behind bars, has maintained a variety of contacts and networks in the drug trafficking world. In a criminal landscape that is characterized by a multitude of actors and continuous shifting of alliances, the "narco of narcos" appears to be in an advantageous position. ; News Analysis (InSight Crime Foundation)
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Drugs in the European Union: the health-market complex
OBJECTIVES: To characterize the peculiar economic nature of the pharmaceutical market in the EU, to study potential groupings of countries based on several pharmaceutical variables, to analyze some recent regulations designed to create the single market, and to present some thoughts on the decision making process in public health from the perspective of current public health budgets. METHOD: We performed an economic analysis of health and pharmaceutical macrovariables, cluster analysis, review of EU pharmaceutical and industrial regulations and review of pharmaceutical budgeting legislation in the member states. RESULTS: The pharmaceutical market of the EU was characterized and EU countries were classified into two principal groups according to 5 selected variables. EU regulations tend to promote R + D and drug production and thus the EU industrial sector is backed up. National regulations differ in terms of pricing and drugs reimbursement. CONCLUSIONS: The creation of a single market for drugs in the EU should take this regulatory diversity into account and seek equilibrium between economic factors and public health. This single market may be a dangerous strategy if it becomes a general dogma and even more so if deadlines are fixed and short.
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Peculiarities of the Investigation of Juvenile Drug Trafficking Offences
In: Cuestiones políticas, Band 40, Heft 75, S. 312-333
The objective of this study was to determine the mandatory requirements for the investigation of drug-related crimes imposed by the age category of the accused. The study involved the following methods: information analysis, systemic approach, descriptive analysis, pragmatic approach and prognosis. It was concluded that tactical techniques, stages, investigative situations in the investigation of juvenile drug-related crimes are used in the same cases and in the same order as in relation to other categories of crimes. It is indicated that the following mandatory requirements to be met during the investigation of juvenile drug-related crimes: 1) establishment of all necessary circumstances of the case of this category; 2) ensuring mandatory participation of an expert in forensic psychology at all stages of the investigation; 3) ensuring mandatory participation at all stages of the investigation of parents or other legal representatives of the minor, representatives of the Children's Service and juvenile police; 4) ensuring psychological and informational safety of the minor; 5) ensuring the most humane and tolerant attitude towards juvenile offenders.
Will the International Criminal Court Investigate Mexico's "Drug War"?
The violence of Mexico's so-called "war on drugs" has caught the attention of the international community, with calls for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to turn its attention to the country. If they're successful, high-level government officials - or even leaders of drug trafficking organizations - may be prosecuted in the Hague. But it's a difficult road ahead. ; News Analysis (InSight Crime Foundation)
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Mexico's Military Follow Their Own Rules in the "Drug War"
Several incidents in the last few weeks have raised additional doubts over how Mexico's soldiers are approaching the so-called "drug war." Not only are there questions over how appropriately the security forces react in confrontations with civilians, but the importance of the military itself in Mexico's democracy may yet come under scrutiny. ; News Analysis (InSight Crime Foundation)
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