Thanks, Kathleen, for a fascinating and thorough analysis of violence in Mexico.
I am intrigued by the approach of El Salvador to their entrenched and vicious crime gangs, while. recognizing that it is a much smaller and poorer country with different problems than Mexico. Their president, Nayib Bukele, has clamped down on crime with a large new prison, mass arrests, isolating inmates from outside contacts, AND along the way trampling on individual rights. Crime and homicides have plummeted, markets and small businesses are thriving, and Bukele has just been reelected with 83% of the vote. Joe Biden and Donald Trump can only dream of such popularity.
Thanks for commenting, Grandad! This tension between the "mano dura" and a more "root causes" approach is playing out across the region.
There have been some hints at the Bukele approach in the Mexican campaigns, from both Gálvez and Máynez, but as you note, it's difficult to compare Mexico and El Salvador. In the latter, the crackdown has been on street gangs, which while strong in numbers, lack the resources of trafficking organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel. And of course, the scale of Bukele's mass imprisonment is hard to fathom in a country the size of Mexico - it would be equivalent here to the incarceration of about 1.2 million people!
As I mentioned in the piece, I think taking a more localized look at crime is important, and in that sense, perhaps lessons could be applied from El Salvador in Mexican cities or regions most affected by extortion/violence inflicted by smaller criminal gangs. I will come back to the legal side of the fight against crime in another piece, but I think the short-term security (and popularity) gains of Bukele will be very hard to sustain in the longer term, not to mention they come at the cost of fundamental rights.
Wow, thank you for this. Extremely well thought out and written.
Thank you Robert!
As always, outstanding writing and analysis. Keep up the good work! S. Blake-Smith
Thank you so much!
Thanks, Kathleen, for a fascinating and thorough analysis of violence in Mexico.
I am intrigued by the approach of El Salvador to their entrenched and vicious crime gangs, while. recognizing that it is a much smaller and poorer country with different problems than Mexico. Their president, Nayib Bukele, has clamped down on crime with a large new prison, mass arrests, isolating inmates from outside contacts, AND along the way trampling on individual rights. Crime and homicides have plummeted, markets and small businesses are thriving, and Bukele has just been reelected with 83% of the vote. Joe Biden and Donald Trump can only dream of such popularity.
George Blake
Thanks for commenting, Grandad! This tension between the "mano dura" and a more "root causes" approach is playing out across the region.
There have been some hints at the Bukele approach in the Mexican campaigns, from both Gálvez and Máynez, but as you note, it's difficult to compare Mexico and El Salvador. In the latter, the crackdown has been on street gangs, which while strong in numbers, lack the resources of trafficking organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel. And of course, the scale of Bukele's mass imprisonment is hard to fathom in a country the size of Mexico - it would be equivalent here to the incarceration of about 1.2 million people!
As I mentioned in the piece, I think taking a more localized look at crime is important, and in that sense, perhaps lessons could be applied from El Salvador in Mexican cities or regions most affected by extortion/violence inflicted by smaller criminal gangs. I will come back to the legal side of the fight against crime in another piece, but I think the short-term security (and popularity) gains of Bukele will be very hard to sustain in the longer term, not to mention they come at the cost of fundamental rights.
Excellent piece!
Thanks Emily!
I so love your reports, this is fantastic!
Thank you for reading Sarah, hope you’re well!