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Tuesday, October 11, 2022

US and Mexico Look For Progress Against Cross-Border Crime

“Mica/DrivingMSSQL” for Borderlandbeat.com




A year after rebuilding trust, the US and Mexico look for progress against cross-border crime

A year ago, Mexico and the United States launched a “High-Level Security Dialogue” (HLSD). In recognition of the 200 years of bilateral relations, they agreed on a “Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health and Safe Communities,” with the hope of rebuilding cooperation to counter the deadly crime that harms many tens of thousands on both sides of the border.

In January 2022, the two governments further agreed on a set of objectives for the security partnership, to cover three pillars of cooperation: protecting our people, preventing cross-border crime, and pursuing criminal networks. The challenge became turning those objectives into measurable progress and outcomes.

These efforts to bolster cooperation are needed. However, it’s not clear how much progress has been achieved. When senior U.S. and Mexican officials gather soon to review results, we should look for a frank review of outcomes to date and a clear action plan for concrete results going forward, including proposals to better tackle illicit financial flows, as U.S. senators recently urged.

Reports in recent months indicate that cross-border crime continues to grow, with networks operating in both countries, and that criminal groupsare more powerful in Mexico andinternationally.

There have been frequent incidents of violence by criminal gangs plaguing Mexican states, including along the U.S.-Mexico border. Mexico’s government is increasing the role of the military in fighting crime to help tackle these problems. Some worry that the proposed reforms will deepen the weakness of Mexico’s law enforcement and judicial authorities, rather than provide a good long-term strategic framework.

More deadly drugs are being discovered at the border and elsewhere in the United States and U.S. drug overdose deaths are soaring. Seizures of fentanyl at the border jumped significantly in the first 10 months of fiscal year 2022. The 10-month totals surpassed the amount of this deadly synthetic opioid seized in all of FY 2021. The 2022 seizures also are more than 2.5 times greater than the amount of fentanyl seized in FY 2020, according to Customs and Border Patrol figures.

Two Mexican crime groups, theSinaloa and Jalisco New Generationcartels, are the main sources of this deadly cargo. The head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently warned in a TV interviewthat “the greatest threat facing our communities, our families, our kids is the deadly fentanyl that we are seeing in the United States that is brought here by the two cartels in Mexico.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports an alarming rise in deaths from overdoses of synthetic opioids. For the 12 months ending in March 2022, they tally over 70,000 deaths, up from 62,000 in March 2021.

In Mexico, homicides have been at record highs since 2019. Statistics show a drop of 8-9 percent in the first half of the year. However, it is not clear if the decline in homicides will endure, or if it might be due to consolidation of control by cartels over drug smuggling routes, for example. There are frequent reports of violence in the streets when authorities move to rein in criminal groups. There are also reports of criminal gangs expanding influence over non-drug commerce, from avocados to convenience stores and even to water sources. Cartels also have expanded their roles in smuggling migrants to the U.S.

One of the most comprehensive regular reports of violence in Mexico, The Mexico Peace Index 2022, concludes that despite some improvements, “the longer-term trends indicate a marked deterioration in peacefulness between 2015 and 2021.”

Not surprisingly, Mexico’s statistics agency found more Mexicans feeling insecure (67 percent) in mid-2022. State Department travel cautions to American citizens provide detailed security warnings about traveling to 29 of the 31 Mexican states, and warn citizens not to travel at all to six states.

The Mexican government is turning increasingly to the military for a range of tasks, including public security. It is placing its militarized National Guard, which is on the front lines of fighting criminal violence, formally under the Army and extending the Guard’s role to 2028.

While the presence of heavily-armed security forces can staunch violence, many experts note that these forces are not trained to investigate crimes or to work with prosecutors to successfully bring charges and win convictions against those arrested. Already, a mere 1 in 10 crimes are reported in Mexico. There are relatively few investigations of the crimes reported and not many convictions of those arrested, and budgets for judicial authorities have been reduced.

Security and crime experts argue that the current policy is failing. It is far from clear that turning more responsibility over to the military will provide long-term solutions to Mexico’s crime problems. And, Mexico retains its reputation as one of the world’s most corrupt countries — corruption that is fed by massive proceeds the cartels make from U.S. drug sales.

The same weaknesses that diminish Mexico’s ability to deal with crime hinder the effectiveness of Mexican authorities as partners for the U.S. Trust between law enforcement and justice agencies was severely undermined during the Trump administration and deteriorated sharply when the U.S. arrested a former defense minister on drug charges. That arrest prompted Mexico to pass a law in 2020 that severely limits the ability for confidential U.S.-Mexico law enforcement investigations.

The new “Bicentennial Framework” for cooperation was established to rebuild trust and cooperation. It is hoped that agency-to-agency cooperation, including capacity-building, will sprout again, allowing more confidential cooperation against the illicit trade headed north and south (e.g., arms).

Without positive results from cooperation, including a reduction in drug flows and the dismantling of networks that control this trade, however, calls will grow for stronger and unilateral U.S. steps. The best way forward is for the “Bicentennial Framework” to produce a credible joint action plan and, ultimately, concrete results.


45 comments:

  1. Mexico isnt very safe, but sadly the US is not very well positioned on the World Security Index.

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    1. Well Shiver my timbers.

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    2. 4:33 Hard to swallow? :(

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    3. Gee willickers.

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    4. 3:44 maybe but I feel a whole lot safer in the US and no I'm not American

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    5. 4:59:
      The homicide rate in Mexico is 8 times that of the U.S. We aren't having reporters being murdered for reporting on organized crime. Criminals aren't throwing grenades into our news rooms and shooting them up. I can't remember anyone being hung from a bridge offhand. There have been a few bodies turn up in blankets over the years but these are usually due to the killer hiding the body rather than making a statement. I'm not aware of any narco mantas appearing in the U.S. and beheadings are rare. I'm not aware of any criminal filming a beheading or dismemberment in the U.S. and posting it on the internet. U.S. politicians aren't murdered en masse during election years. Mexico gets 500 to 600 police murdered each year compared to about 40 in the U.S. despite the U.S. having 3 times as many people as Mexico. The U.S. doesn't have the military patrolling the streets. I can understand why you feel safer in the U.S.

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    6. 11:30 @Detroit what is you say is accurate however at the same time there are lots of events that involve cartel violence in the USA that goes unreported.

      I’m not aware of narco mantas or hanging bodies in the USA but I can state that I seen people slaughtered in their apartments with sideway Zs cut into their torsos as well as beheadings but the bodies were discovered indoors and the press was not informed and the informants was classified and confidential

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    7. 11:30 Mexican criminals, have not tried to murder mexican lawmakers to get their through insurrection.
      On the US police and sheriffs support the insurrectionists and deny the insurrectionist crimes, about 70 million brainwashed republicans still believe their election was stolen, and mexico did not finance any shenanigans on the US.

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    8. US on the "Most Dangerous Countries" is between Brazil and Zimbabwe... should be around European countries, but their places on list are FAR away from the US. We can tell, Brazil is technically as safe as the US

      Not my opinion ☺: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-dangerous-countries

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    9. 11:40 lol US most dangerous.
      It's Mexico , killings, dismemberment everyday.
      Mexico #1 in Curuption.
      Mexico #1 in Homicides.

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    10. 11:47
      -Didnt wrote most dangerous, but at the same rate of Brazil....
      -There are killings in most countries in the world every day.
      -Corruption, not "curuption", and its #31, not #1
      -#27 in homicides, not #1

      Sources: -https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/murder-rate-by-country
      -https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021

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    11. 1:21 you know what he meant, there always has to be an asshole in here.

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  2. Lol “the greatest threat facing our communities, our families, our kids is the deadly fentanyl that we are seeing in the United States that is brought here by the two cartels in Mexico.” Why do so many Americans enjoy killing themselves with poison? If there’s a demand, the demand will be met. But this “war” will never stop. The business of drugs creates millions of jobs and huge amounts of money confiscated by all levels of the gov. The show must go on.

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    1. Yes it is a great threat, fentanyl laced fake drugs is killing people, that think they are using the real thing, that's the part you misunderstood.

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    2. Well Folks must be green as hell if they think street pills or H is still authentic. If you don’t have any knowledge, you shouldn’t be taking drugs. Folks must not have had access to the internet for the last 10 years. Stay inside.

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    3. Valid point. I’ll believe it when US officials press for outbound checkpoints at the ports of entry for weapons, ammo, and money. Until then, it’s just talk and a bunch of BS.

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    4. 04:42 maybe that’s why there are so many naive young adults who are dying from these fake pills and laced cocaine meth x etc

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  3. Fr who trying to hit a lick in 2022 🤣

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  4. Prior to ELMO's presidency U.S. and Mexican law enforcement had a good working relationship. There have always been political requirements that have hindered U.S.-Mexico law enforcement cooperation. However, both U.S. and Mexican law enforcement personnel have always found ways to work around these regulations.
    With ELMO, now every law enforcement official down to the lowest municipio has to give a detailed report to the Mexican government anytime they have any communication with U.S. agents within 72 hours of that communication. U.S. agents are no longer allowed to withhold intel from corrupt police. All intel must be reported to the Mexican government within 72 hours of it's receipt without regard to the security of that information. And as we have seen, cartels have a direct link to this administration.
    Kissing the hand of Chapo's mother revealed a weak president who kisses up to the very criminals that have destroyed Mexican society. No president in the history of the U.S. has ever had the audacity to kiss the hand of the mother of a criminal. Releasing Ovidio Guzman was an incredible act of cowardice. Every Mexican president has asserted Mexico's sovereignty, ELMO brings this to the extreme where he places his own pettiness above the welfare of the people of Mexico.
    When he ran for president, ELMO pledged to address domestic violence. Now that he is president, he is happy to announce that 90% of all complaints of domestic violence are "fake". Without anything to back up this assertion, he has reduced domestic violence by 90% in his own mind.
    I was reading the INEGI statistics that stated that homicides went from 22,000 per year to 34,000 per year during ELMO's presidency. INEGI believes that more than 200,000 Mexicans will be murdered during ELMO's tenure.
    Another statistic caught my eye. According to INEGI, reported sex crimes increased by 70% since ELMO took office. Sex crimes have a tendency to rise during periods of lawlessness. These statistics reveal an increase in lawlessness in Mexico since ELMO took office.
    ELMO has hung an incredible burden around the necks of both U.S. and Mexican law enforcement agents making it difficult for them to work together. Hopefully, Mexico will elect a president in 2024 who will put the Mexican people's interest above his own pettiness and allow U.S. and Mexican law enforcement personnel to do their jobs without political interference.
    Of course, all of the ELMO nuthuggers and chayoteros here will say what a great job that ELMO is doing while ignoring the Mexican government's own data.

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    1. Mexico's war on drugs is and has always been a war by the corrupt criminal Mexican government against cartels they dont support to ensure steady undisturbed cash flow to the Mexican government at all levels from the Cartels they do support. That is the war on drugs in Mexico. In the US the war on drugs is to try and find a way to work around a corrupt narco state which is nearly impossible

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    2. 10:44 you are some Anti-AMLO chayotero, former mexican government officials that worked closely with US government are wanted or in prison on the US, looks like the close relationship enabled those former friends of the US to pick the US Deep Pockets.

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    3. 10:44 Homicide rates are measured by every 100,000 persons.

      Felipe Calderon received in 2006 with a 9.64 rate and finished in 2012 with an stunning rate of 22, he went from 9.64 to 22 with a clear growth trend.

      Enrique Peña Nieto received in 2012 a rate of 22 and finished his term in 2018 with the highest rate of 29, growth trend continues.

      AMLO received the highest rate of 29 in 2018. Managed to lower the growth tendency. 2022 still in curse, but in 2021 rate was lowered from 29 to 26. AMLO broke the growth tendency from two previous administrations.

      Would be pertinent to understand basics on statics and Mexico's recent history from 2005-present events.

      Source: inegi.org.mx / homicide rates by year

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    4. 12:51:
      It's difficult to divine out the actual number of murders in Mexico. In the U.S. we have the Uniform Crime Reports that give us a good idea of the number of crimes. You have to take into consideration crime victim surveys which include unreported crimes.
      The Uniform Crime Reports published by the FBI are the most reliable. However, some agencies have been caught fudging the numbers they report to the FBI. The Mexican government goes beyond fudging and engages in actual manipulation.
      In Mexico, SNSP and INEGI publish the crime statistics for the government. Probably the best crime victim survey in Mexico is EVISPE. There are NGO's such as Common Cause that publish additional information that is reasonably reliable.
      Mexico recorded it's highest number of homicides in 2020. INEGI reported 35,247 homicides and SNSP reported 34,515 homicides. Victim surveys reflect that a large number of homicides weren't included in these statistics. Victim surveys reveal that every president of Mexico over the last 20 years have manipulated the statistics. Victim surveys suggest that the number of homicides not reported in the statistics increased under ELMO.
      So far in 2022, Mexico is reporting a 3% to 12% reduction in homicides. Keep in mind that these statistics are preliminary and may take a year or two to become final.
      Common Cause has reported that Mexico's actual number of homicides are on track to exceed 40,000 in 2022. I don't know where Common Cause gets it's number of homicides from. I do know that every administration in Mexico tries to affect the official statistics and it appears that ELMO is doing more than what most presidents have done to manipulate the statistics. My sense is that we won't know how many homicides occurred in Mexico during ELMO's tenure until several years after his administration.
      I didn't want to quote Common Cause's numbers because they aren't "official" and it will be several years before all of these statistics are parsed out.
      The point of my comment was that homicides increased during ELMO's tenure. When we get into crime victim surveys we go down a deep hole and the point is lost. It's irrelevant whether INEGI's number of 35,247 or SNSP's number of 34,515 is closer to the actual number of murders. The point being that whoever's numbers you use, homicides have increased under ELMO's leadership.
      I'm not willing to concede that homicides have decreased in 2022. The official numbers have decreased but every Mexican president has tried to affect the official statistics. I won't stand by Common Cause's numbers because I have no way to verify them. There is a real possibility that years down the road, after we learn to what degree ELMO manipulated the numbers and these numbers are finally parsed out that we know the true number of homicides.
      I didn't want to mention the 40,000 because it sounds outrageous and is speculative and would only draw from the point of my comment. Only time will tell if this 40,000 figure is correct or not. My hope is that homicides are decreasing in Mexico, but given Mexico's president's history of manipulating official statistics my hopes may not match reality.

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    5. 1:59

      Assuming you are a grown man, no need to add nick names when talking serious matters. Homicide rates are not hard to read at all, just look homicide rates by year. Extremely easy to understand, middle school math. And homicide rates does not considers dissapeared, that’s another index. Would be useful to know your “un manipulated sources”, Since everything is unreliable for you. Being that said, you shouldn’t even mention INEGI like you previously did, since is not "reliable". Have to keep in mind 2022 still in curse, no way to know since rates are measured by whole term rate. But if you wish to play with tricky numbers to prove your point, up to you. And there are LOTS of agencies giving numbers, up to you which one is trustful.
      “…it appears that ELMO is doing more than what most presidents have done to manipulate the statistics…” – Do you have a link, source, explanation, or something to corroborate that, or just your thoughts?.
      PRI and PAN rates are trustful but AMLO is manipulating, sounds like a comment from a political adversary.
      The point is that INEGI rates that you previously mentioned states that’s AMLO is lowering homicide index.

      The only lost thing here is your point, claiming AMLO (not EMLO, learn it please) is bad no matter what. Probably you don’t like it, but that’s not relevant. Citing INEGI, then citing INEGI is manipulated, that’s contradictory.

      The official numbers NEVER decreased with Calderon and EPN, even with their own official numbers.

      And theres no evidence or anything to proof AMLO is manipulating anything, besides your opinion. If you have something to show us there are no restrictions to include links on this site.

      The only clear thing is that you know less than you pretend to. Noticed your knowledge about mexican history is very limited and your opinion is biased, even regretting your own sources when it comes to INEGI.

      PD: “…Probably the best crime victim survey in Mexico is EVISPE”, Thing is that "EVISPE" does not even exists, you probably type it wrong or something. Verify your own sources.

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    6. I know you guys aren't too happy with each other but I just want to say that it's dope as hell to see two people debating in the comment section by citing and evaluating statistics.

      I learned things from reading this back and forth, I'm sure others did too. So refreshing to read on here.

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    7. 4:31 Have to mention that HEARST's articles/comments are the more rational, centered and well sourced on this site.

      I know everyone agrees Detroit give good points, have to admit it, but this is an exception. His sources/data contradict from one comment to another. Citing INEGI in one comment, and refusing INEGI in another... citing nonexistent agencies like "EVISPE" make me think hes biased. Ignoring the fact that nick names lessen credibility.

      Mexican political system is way more complex than Republicans vs Democrats. To understand what is happening in Mexico is imperative to understand it from a rational perspective. Assuming to understand this matters without knowing mexican history is ridiculous, end up spreading lies or an opinion with no other context than your political preferences.

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    8. I second Hearst’s comment. Hopefully this kind of dialogue and debating is more common. My respects to you both👍

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    9. I have a question regarding the increase of intentional murders. What percentage of the homicides were criminals, law enforcement and civilians during each of the years that the homicides increased and according to the latest government statistics have decreased?
      Calderon started a war against the narcotraficantes so I'll assume most/some/very little of the increases were because more criminals were killed.
      EPN continued the narcowar so the confrontational stance remained even if the rhetoric didn't, the only difference being his creation of the Gendarmería.
      AMLO has his newly created Guardia Nacional that replaced the Gendarmería and his policy of "Abrazos, No Balazos". Is this decrease in homicides really a merit or just a by product of a less confrontational approach to the criminals? What's the context of the numbers?
      My own opinion is more murderous criminals need to die...

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    10. 4:02:
      Your comment is too confusing to respond to. It is apparent that you have no idea of what you are talking about.
      I didn't recall the name of the survey correctly. It is ENVIPE (Encuesta Nacional de Victimizacion de Seguridad Publica). This is INEGI's attempt to quantify victimization in Mexico similar to what's done in the U.S.

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    11. 6:02:
      I always enjoy hearing from ELMO's chayoteros, especially when they look like dogs chasing their tail. Their logic is always entertaining even if they have no idea of what they are talking about.

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    12. While we're on the subject of ELMO, I just read an ELMO news story.
      A man was convicted today of raping an ELMO doll in Michigan. He was a home inspector inspecting a home in Oxford Township, a high end community. He was in the house for two hours so the homeowner curious why the inspection was taking so long looked at her nanny cam. She saw this man trying to tickle ELMO's tonsils with his penis with her child's Tickle Me ELMO doll.
      True story October 12, 2022.
      I hope she burns this doll and buys her kid a new one. This winner's name is Kevin VanLuven whose Luven them dolls.

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    13. 7:53 Cost more to stop something with a growing tendency, you can deduct it studying homicide rates from Vicente Fox (10.64)administration to the present year (26 / 2021). Highest was 29 during 2018. And those rates are intentional homicide, involving every type of scenarios. Assume there are more specific indexes, will take a look. And when it comes to almost 90 years of corruption on a bigger or smaller rate, there are no quick changes, would be too violent. This is an overhaul, not an oil change. Next administration will continue about the same path, for sure. "Abrazos no Balazos", which on the practices means minimizing accountabilities as much as possible, will no longer be the same. Probably they will endure their practices.

      8:24 You are confusing to understand. Stick to the affairs you dominate, that you definitely do, im humble enough to recognize it, but history and politics about Mexico is not your strong side, and im being very rational about this. I went to the source you showed, and with your own source demonstrated this administration changed the growing tendency on homicides. Is always wise to understand basics of statistics. ENVIPE doesnt even have a webpage, are you sure is a legit organism?

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    14. 9:26 No matter how hard you try. History and politics about Mexico is your weak side. And saying ELMO 20 times doesnt help. Facts and verifiable stuff is the one that counts.

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    15. Detroit you have valuable facts and your glasses are clean at what's going on in Mexico, unfortunately you have, people like 11:29 trying hard to disinform people in here. Thanks for posting facts that are verifiable.

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    16. Detroit has become ELMO's own personal ass biting Hit Man, Question Mark (?) of the Mysterians would love to teach you his dancing steps

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  5. It's getting close to the US let's calm it down.
    Those chapitos are out of control fighting their own cartel. Bad for business and bad for tourism.

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  6. USA is trying to stop it while mexico makes sure it continues because even their crooked ass goverment wants a piece of the illegal activities.

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    1. 4:13 Twisting facts doesnt change a reality. USA is trying to stop nothing.

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    2. 4:28
      Lol USA is trying to stop nothing 🤣
      Border patrol stops drugs from coming in.
      DEA stops a lot of drugs and people get arrested, lol USA is doing nothing.

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    3. 6:44 Border patrol cant stop rain with their hands. They mostly stop immigrants and some flow of drugs, but clearly will never be enough. Same with DEA, they jail people, but problem is nothing but getting bigger. They "do" with no results.

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    4. 11:14 DEA, FBI and Border Patrol have special task forces to catch loads of illegal drugs and arrest people, they have been making large busts.
      Results are shown on articles published on BB.

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    5. 7:47 They spend billions and problem is nothing but getting worse since got "in charge". Null results since DEA creation.

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  7. I know I might get crucified for saying this but thank you Micah, great story🚀

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