Alejandro Arcos is the second politician to be killed in a week in the city of Chilpachingo.

The mayor of a Mexican city plagued by drug violence has been murdered less than a week after taking office.

Alejandro Arcos was found dead on Sunday in Chilpancingo, a city of around 280,000 people in the southwestern state of Guerrero. He had been mayor for six days.

Evelyn Salgado, the state governor, said the city was in mourning over a murder that “fills us with indignation”. His death came three days after the city government’s new secretary, Francisco Tapia, was shot dead.

Authorities have not released details of the investigation, or suspects. However, Guerrero is one of the worst-affected states for drug violence and drug cartels have murdered dozens of politicians across the country.

  • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    155·
    2 months ago

    one thing i’ve been curious about is how receptive the mexican government/people would be to US aid military, or military financial aid for stopping the whole cartel problem.

    It would likely be beneficial to the both of us, and canada as well though less so.

    • PhoenixzEnglish
      284·
      2 months ago

      Yeaaahh, since US government policies are the entire reason that that drug war exists, Id say thanks, but no thanks.

      Edit: to expand a little on this: US drug policy caused the entire drug trade, the high prices, and the extreme violence. The US then doesn’t send their best, they send their weapons, and they send them knowingly straight to the cartels (thanks, US gun manufacturers!). US government actually supported this for a while to see if it was true and… Did nothing with that.

      Then US army would train Mexican soldier which then took that training straight into the Zetas which murdered even harder.

      At this point, I can only say “FIX YOUR GODDAMN DRUG POLICIES, YOU @SSH@LES” and keep away, please.

    • LemmyFeed@lemmy.worldEnglish
      201·
      2 months ago

      I didn’t think the US has much interest in stopping the cartels, the war on drugs is much too profitable and the cartels provide most of the drugs.

    • PugJesus@lemmy.worldEnglish
      18·
      2 months ago

      The US and Mexico have cooperated militarily on the issue before. The problem is that the roots are much deeper than a military problem, so no amount of US assistance can shoot the cartels into no longer being a problem for any more than a few metaphorical moments. As long as the fundamental causes of the Cartels’ power remain unaddressed by the Mexican government, US assistance isn’t going to be much help.

    • Olgratin_Magmatoe@lemmy.worldEnglish
      41·
      2 months ago

      The root problem is that there is a huge self capturing black market demand for drugs, which itself is a problem rooted in capitalist countries throughout the americas prioritizing GDP expansion over human wellbeing.

      It’s the result of failing healthcare systems, the evaporation of 3rd places, the requirement of a car to survive, the failing housing system, the lack of job security and mobility, etc

      No amount of military intervention can change that. Even if you somehow successfully destroyed every cartel with a button press, they’d all be replaced overnight because of the huge demand for drugs.

      What can actually effect the demand is:

      • food, water, housing, education and healthcare being well funded human rights

      • mixed used development/relaxation of zoning laws

      • transportation infrastructure that allows people to actually have a choice in how they get places

      • unions, workplace democracy, worker protections

      You get the picture. Life actually has to be worth living.

      • FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        The US legalising drugs would be the biggest step forward possible. Not saying the issues you listed aren’t linked. But they aren’t as directly correlated.

        • Rekorse@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          2·
          2 months ago

          Legalizing heroin isnt going to stop it coming in the borders it will just make it easier to sell. There are still gray markets in areas with legalized drugs now.

      • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        What can actually effect the demand is:

        if we’re going to argue market forces here, just legalize drugs and tax them.

        It’s that simple.

        But regardless, getting rid of the mexican cartel specifically would be beneficial for many, many other reasons. Notably political instability.