Since Trump returned to office, headlines about “historic” and “unprecedented” events in the drug war (and everything else) have come fast and furious.
From the U.S. designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, to Mexico handing over a total of 92 presumed cartel operatives to the United States, to the downfall of El Mencho, the most-wanted criminal leader in the country—who was killed last month during an operation by Mexican armed forces in Tapalpa, Jalisco. How much of this signals we are witnessing a new era of the drug war? What is truly unprecedented and what is déjà vu?
My guest in this episode is Benjamin T. Smith, professor of Latin American history at the University of Warwick and author of “The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade,” a meticulously researched and essential reference for understanding the historical context behind the news cycle. Our conversation covers the origins and history of the “kingpin” strategy, how the CJNG operates, the ongoing civil war in the Sinaloa Cartel, how Sheinbaum’s security policy differs (or not) from her predecessors’ and much more.
You can listen to the audio-only version of this interview on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and the video version is also available on YouTube.
Episode Notes
Ben’s books are available for purchase here.
Read the investigation about the decline in opium cultivation referenced in the episode here.
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