In a nation torn by war, Mexico is split by drug cartels, corrupt officials, and suffering residents. Though this drug war has been going on for decades, it’s finally time to end the conflict once and for all. Innumerable factors and faces of the war must be taken account into achieving a full resolution. Past methods used, most famously the Colombian Peace Process between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, are unlikely to work in the drug war in Mexico as their situations, although both combatting drug cartel, are drastically different. Nevertheless, the United Nations Security Council is relentless in their efforts to reach a satisfactory settlement to the war.
The roots of the conflict can be traced back to the arrest of “the Godfather”, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, a former Judicial Federal police agent, who formed the Guadalajara cartel. Consequently, smaller drug cartel rose up to fill in the void left by his capture. Hence, began the ever-growing infighting that now comprises the drug war.
Aside from ending the illegal drug trade and the violence it brings, the treatment of vigilante groups among other issues have to be addressed. Some of these aspects include electoral reform and corruption.
All of these issues are loosely tied together, with the main stemming from the infrastructure for Mexican citizens. The corruption that runs rampant within law enforcement has resulted in, put simply, a lack of justice. Criminals often are able to run free by giving police officers and the like monetary bribes, or threaten judges to prevent persecution. Such actions are commonplace, thereby angering citizens, and forcing them to realize must take justice into their own hands. Thus came the emergence of vigilante groups, factions of ordinary citizens committing acts of crime in the name of their own restorative justice, against cartel members.
Some notable achievements of these civilians include the capture of Caballo and Chanenque, cartel members known for ruthlessly slaughtering and dismembering those in their paths. Indeed, these groups are a force to be reckoned with. Mexico ultimately has the decision to either punish these vigilante groups for violently achieving peace, or to support and provide arms to sectors that have achieved far more than their own police force.
Regarding the issue of electoral reforms, there comes a need to change voting methods, in order to ensure fair elections are held. Potential candidates in the running may very well be corrupt, or in affiliation to drug cartel. This poses a grave threat as, firstly, the head of state would then be unlikely to take any incentive to halt the drug trade. Secondly, the cartel would be able to receive the financial and resource backing of an entire nation, making the all the more difficult to overthrow.
Solutions posed by council members include anti-corruption measures, adopting community-level actions to improve infrastructure, the formation of a task force, educational programs, and the establishment of initiatives for restructuring financial and economical institutions. These multiple measures are to be implemented in many forms, with the main ones serving as anti-corruption, infrastructural refinement, and providing education methods.
Measures against governmental misconduct, particularly those in connection to criminal organisations, are imperative when it comes to reducing the power and influence of the cartels. Therefore, the revision of electoral policies to increase accountability of candidates will be of substance, particularly with the enlisting of certain Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as a third-party authority.
Infrastructural rebuilding is apparent in several aspects, those being community level economic and social infrastructure, and the state’s economic and financial infrastructure. Community-level framework is to be improved through the creation of economic investment programs alongside NGOs such as KIVA, and the development of relief and investment packages for each community catered to specific demographics.
Educational advancements are once again, vital for future disincentive of drug cartel activity. So far, the UNSC’s plan is to recommend increase educational programs and systems in various nations on: classes and lectures surrounding overdose treatment and response, community projects about stigmas of drug addicts, added medical aid and training, and the harms of drug cartel.
From notions presented throughout debate, the Oxford Research Group has agreed with the necessity of a harsh suppression of corruption, as it greatly fuels the drug war. Aside from this, the Oxford Research Group also has campaigned for the improvement of educational outreach and programs. The education would not solely be based upon signs of drug use and first aid treatment; providing general education to those in extreme poverty is also of relevance. Lastly, although it is deplorable, the Oxford Research group also recognises that in Mexico’s current state of war, it is near impossible for negotiations to be held with the cartel, and for countless varying reasons. Nevertheless, in future situations once the war has been resolved somewhat, the Oxford Research Group assist and provide open dialogue, or negotiations wherever possible.
The roots of the conflict can be traced back to the arrest of “the Godfather”, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, a former Judicial Federal police agent, who formed the Guadalajara cartel. Consequently, smaller drug cartel rose up to fill in the void left by his capture. Hence, began the ever-growing infighting that now comprises the drug war.
Aside from ending the illegal drug trade and the violence it brings, the treatment of vigilante groups among other issues have to be addressed. Some of these aspects include electoral reform and corruption.
All of these issues are loosely tied together, with the main stemming from the infrastructure for Mexican citizens. The corruption that runs rampant within law enforcement has resulted in, put simply, a lack of justice. Criminals often are able to run free by giving police officers and the like monetary bribes, or threaten judges to prevent persecution. Such actions are commonplace, thereby angering citizens, and forcing them to realize must take justice into their own hands. Thus came the emergence of vigilante groups, factions of ordinary citizens committing acts of crime in the name of their own restorative justice, against cartel members.
Some notable achievements of these civilians include the capture of Caballo and Chanenque, cartel members known for ruthlessly slaughtering and dismembering those in their paths. Indeed, these groups are a force to be reckoned with. Mexico ultimately has the decision to either punish these vigilante groups for violently achieving peace, or to support and provide arms to sectors that have achieved far more than their own police force.
Regarding the issue of electoral reforms, there comes a need to change voting methods, in order to ensure fair elections are held. Potential candidates in the running may very well be corrupt, or in affiliation to drug cartel. This poses a grave threat as, firstly, the head of state would then be unlikely to take any incentive to halt the drug trade. Secondly, the cartel would be able to receive the financial and resource backing of an entire nation, making the all the more difficult to overthrow.
Solutions posed by council members include anti-corruption measures, adopting community-level actions to improve infrastructure, the formation of a task force, educational programs, and the establishment of initiatives for restructuring financial and economical institutions. These multiple measures are to be implemented in many forms, with the main ones serving as anti-corruption, infrastructural refinement, and providing education methods.
Measures against governmental misconduct, particularly those in connection to criminal organisations, are imperative when it comes to reducing the power and influence of the cartels. Therefore, the revision of electoral policies to increase accountability of candidates will be of substance, particularly with the enlisting of certain Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as a third-party authority.
Infrastructural rebuilding is apparent in several aspects, those being community level economic and social infrastructure, and the state’s economic and financial infrastructure. Community-level framework is to be improved through the creation of economic investment programs alongside NGOs such as KIVA, and the development of relief and investment packages for each community catered to specific demographics.
Educational advancements are once again, vital for future disincentive of drug cartel activity. So far, the UNSC’s plan is to recommend increase educational programs and systems in various nations on: classes and lectures surrounding overdose treatment and response, community projects about stigmas of drug addicts, added medical aid and training, and the harms of drug cartel.
From notions presented throughout debate, the Oxford Research Group has agreed with the necessity of a harsh suppression of corruption, as it greatly fuels the drug war. Aside from this, the Oxford Research Group also has campaigned for the improvement of educational outreach and programs. The education would not solely be based upon signs of drug use and first aid treatment; providing general education to those in extreme poverty is also of relevance. Lastly, although it is deplorable, the Oxford Research group also recognises that in Mexico’s current state of war, it is near impossible for negotiations to be held with the cartel, and for countless varying reasons. Nevertheless, in future situations once the war has been resolved somewhat, the Oxford Research Group assist and provide open dialogue, or negotiations wherever possible.