Abstract

MADRAZO LAJOUS, Alejandro; CALZADA OLVERA, Rebeca  and  ROMERO VADILLO, Jorge Javier. The “War On Drugs”: Analysis of Confrontations Involving Public Forces 2006-2011. Polít. gob [online]. 2018, vol.25, n.2, pp.379-402. ISSN 1665-2037.

The objective of the research was to better understand practices of government forces in the context of Mexico’s “war on drugs” between 2006 and 2011. To do so, we analyzed the “Confrontations” data base published by CIDE’S Drug Policy Program. The paper offers a descriptive analysis of the statistics contained in that data base and identifies two main tendencies in the behavior of authorities during “Confrontations” in which they engaged with opposing civilian forces: increasing improvisation and a more intense use of lethal force. The two phenomena result from the scarcity of investigation leading up to a confrontation and the lack of legal support in the activities carried out by authorities during the so-called “joint operatives” during the Calderón administration.

Keywords : war on drugs; confrontations; public forces.