The document summarizes the rise and evolution of drug cartel violence in Mexico from 2006-2015. It describes the formation of La Familia cartel in 2006 and escalating violence between cartels and authorities over this period, including grenade attacks in 2008 that killed 8 people. It also notes the 2010 reported death of La Familia founder Nazario Moreno, though he didn't actually die until 2014, and the splitting off of the Knights Templar cartel from La Familia in 2011. Conflict and shifting criminal operations between cartels continued through 2013-2015.

1. 2006-
September 6, a
drug cartel
calling itself La
Familia formed.
The drug war
started on the
11th December
2006.
2008- Cartel
warn authorities
that they will
attack on
Mexican
Independence
Day. La Familia
launch grenades
into Morelia,
killing 8 and
injuring 100+.
2009- 12
police officers
found dead
with warning
messages
from La
Familia.
2010-
President
conforms the
death of La
Familia founder,
Naziario
Moreno- but he
didn’t actually
die until 2014
2011- 2
former chiefs
in La Familia
split and form
Knights
Templar.
2013-
Knights
Templar seize
criminal
operation.
Michoacans
self-defence
militias form.
2014-
Mexican
government
sign an
agreement
making the
militias a
community
police force.
Former
governor Jesus
Reyna Garcia
is arrested
accused of
holding
meetings with
Naziario
Moreno.
2015- Clash
between
federal forces
and members
of civilian
militia.
Witnesses say
that some
attempted to
surrender
before
being shot
suggesting an
intentional
massacre
PUBLIC CONCERNS
Public are concerned as they are in fear of the violence
taking place in the Mexican Drug Wars
In an article in the guardian a citizen from Rio Bravo stated
that ‘ everybody is frightened here, there is lots of danger
and you cant trust anybody’
The public carried out drug war protests
to try and stop them from happening
M EDIA RESPONSES
Both a weapon and defense in the Mexican drug war
The mainstream media self-censored its coverage of
cartel violence, But social media filled the gap. Some
people wanted to see the grisly photos and videos of
cartel crime scenes, and social media allowed them to
see what the original press would not show.
The cartels took advantage of new technology in the
media to spread their message of terror, and to
intimidate people.
People responded to this by getting information about
how to avoid encountering the violence in their day to
day lives.
The media express their anger about Mexican drugs
wars and grieve as a community together.
Zetas and the Sinaloa cartel
The Zetas operate in more than half of Mexico's states and,
according to US geopolitical analysis firm Stratfor, overtook
their rivals from the Sinaloa cartel in 2012 in terms of
geographic presence. Stratfor says the Zetas' brutal violence
gave the gang an advantage over the Sinaloa cartel, which
prefers to bribe people
Analysis of Gender and Ethnicity:
 The drug war started in December 2006 –
present (10 years).
 Mexico is one of the largest drug transit and
producing countries in the world. It is the main
foreign supplier of cannabis and an important
entry point of South American cocaine and
Asian methamphetamines to the U.S.
 U.S. authorities are reporting a rise in killings,
kidnappings and home invasions connected to
Mexico's cartels.
 The drug war punishes women, especially
mothers, not just for drug law violations but for
failing to be a “good” women. This translates
into a system where women who are
responsible for childrearing are too readily
separated from their children, temporarily or
permanently.
 The drug war has produced profoundly
unequal outcomes across racial groups,
manifested through racial discrimination by
law enforcement and disproportionate drug
war misery suffered by communities of color.
Rates of drug use and selling are comparable
across racial lines however, people of color are far
more likely to be stopped, searched, arrested,
prosecuted, convicted and incarcerated for drug law
violations than are whites
Mexico's cartels control much of the illegal drugs trade
from South America to the United States.
They import cocaine from South America and smuggle it on
to the US. Some groups grow and smuggle marijuana, while
others specialise in manufacturing methamphetamines,
importing precursor drugs from as far away as China.
Most cartels extort local businesses and bolster their
finances through kidnappings for ransom. They have also
been involved in people smuggling, prostitution,
intimidation and murder.
The Zetas, for example, were first created as the
enforcement arm of the Gulf cartel, but later turned on
their former allies and have been at war with them ever
since. The Knights Templar are an off-shoot of La Familia
Michoacana, a cartel that was weakened after the killing of
its leader in 2010.
CARTEL
S
DRUG RELATED DEATHS IN
MEXICO