Introduction: Mexico’s Struggle against Organized Crime

Abstract

Among his first acts in office in December 2006, Mexican president Felipe Calderón sent the army into his home state of Michoacán to combat the state’s criminal gangs. The result was not at all what the Mexican government had hoped for. Although there have been many indications of what might be considered to be progress, including increased seizures of illegal drugs and illegally held weapons and the arrest of drug traffickers, gang-related violence has increased sharply. Particularly sinister and disappointing has been the fact that this increase reversed a previous trend in which gang-related killings were stable or even falling. It is possible that drug-related violence may be leveling out as of late 2011,¹ but even if this turns out to be true, the level of violence would still be much higher than when Calderón took over as president. Unfortunately, although a reasonably successful period for Mexico in a number of respects, the Calderón presidency is likely to be remembered above all for the growth in violent organized crime.