Domestic and Transnational Dimensions of Counterterrorism Policy in Mexico

Abstract

While multiple sources of terrorist activity potentially exist in Mexico, the security climate is somewhat unique in that terrorist-style violence in Mexico is primarily associated with organized criminal activity including narcotics manufacture and trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking and illegal immigration, and associated violent conflicts between rival criminal gangs and between criminal elements and government forces or civilians. Differences of opinion exist as to how to classify ongoing crime-related violence within the country. The Mexican government defines terrorism more broadly and regards many of the violent activities of the country’s criminal groups such as murders, bombings, kidnappings, and mass violence as acts of terrorism, whereas most US policymakers have historically made distinctions between terrorism in the conventional sense and the violent terrorist-style attacks perpetrated by criminal groups. Sources of political/ideological terrorism also exist. Small, regional insurgent groups exist within Mexico such as the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, which has been nonviolent since a 1994 ceasefire, and the Popular Revolutionary Army in Guerrero, which has perpetrated numerous gas-line bombings and other attacks as recently as 2007. Linkages may also exist between Mexican organized crime and international terrorist groups such as the suspected drug-trade association of Iranian-backed Hezbollah with the infamous Los Zetas group. Both the US and Mexican governments downplay such links to international terrorism, and domestic counterterrorism and transnational cooperation – largely comprised of US technological/material assistance and training related to law enforcement – has focused almost entirely upon combating the transnational dimensions of criminal activity such as narcotics trafficking by cartels. Domestic Mexican policies have to date focused upon directing increasing amounts of federal military resources to combat cartels and organized crime, weed out corruption, and strengthen the country’s criminal justice, judicial and prison systems.