短談

因為 politics project, 而去找了課程的professor, Gerry, for the two politics courses, International Negotiations and International Organizations.

He is good, very knowledgeable, but the problem with his teaching is that, he jumps too fast, and the examples he has given is beyond my comprehension, with regard to my limited knowledge of contemporary world history and events. (actually, I am the person to take the blame.)

不過, 還是很開心和他一起談天.
問完了project,想跟他談多一點有關Drug cartels in Mexico.
他的解釋一如他的lecture, confusing for me. 為了作個註腳, 把理解到的寫下來.

他說, drug cartels的崛起可以追溯到美國在80s/90s 成功cracked down and blocked Columbia drug cartels,  阻止了他們運毒往往美國的路線.

然後是, NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement) 在90年代初的達成, greatly increase the trade volumes, and those Drug Cartels in Mexico and previously in Columbia seized the opportunity to expand their business by taking advantage of the NAFTA.

Then it has to deal with the democratization in Mexico.
之前, the political power of  Mexico was concentrated in one party. To make a way for the business, those drug cartels had to bride the politicians, such as giving 10% of the business profit to the government.

With the democratization in Mexico, which is a way to decentralize the power. then, the drug cartels realized that they no longer need the politicians, they can create their people in the government, and why would they have to share the 10% profit with the government.

於是, drug wars started. Drug cartels fight against the government. they fight among themselves.

Gerry highlighted one point, 就是在墨西哥沒有法律去管制不明財產. 不少人在毒品交易中謀取了暴利, 在美國, 如果你不能提供證據證明你的收入是合法獲取, 政府可以沒收你的財產. 可是, 墨國沒有. 因而, drug cartels dealers can enjoy the profit and will fight whatever it takes to secure their source of profit.

he said, setting up law to regulate the wealth obtainment is  crucial to curd the drug war.

Mexico's war on drugs: optimism has turned to depression