The first one is a general overview: http://www.ted.com/talks/rodrigo_canales_the_deadly_genius_of_drug_cartels.html

However, the info Rodrigo Canales gives about Michoacan (Familia and Templar Knights) is too old, and situation has evolved very much since 2010. In the beginning Family and TK were a farce with certain social support. But after 2011 they became just a very very violent farce. In reaction, people started organizing themselves creating the "autodefensas" or communitarian police. The second video shows some of this:

http://vimeo.com/78951502#at=0

As a mexican citixen myself I'd appretiate very much if you not only see this, but help making it public.

As an American citizen myself, I'll pass this along to President Obama next time I see him.

@2WL....He doesn't have time for you...he's too busy selling guns to Mexican drug cartels...

Seriously, though, I don't give a fuck about Mexican violence that is within their borders. Not my fucking problem. If Americans are stupid enough to travel to regions where they are subject to said violence, not my fucking problem.

And before you bleeding hearts start telling me I'm caluous or hearless...so you support the US going to war in Syria to stem the violence? Oh? You don't? So shut the fuck up.

Mexico...fix your own fucking problems!

Actually I didn't expect much more from you Krellin... fortunately you'r not the only one around here, I hope.

Anyway, I can argue that mexican problems *are* related to what happens in U.S. and those who are not selfish, callous or hearless can do something. For the moment I'm busy translating another talk, but maybe it would be a good idea if you actually saw the videos I just posted, where you can see right form the start, for instance, that violence in Mexico is much much bigger than violence in Syria, and Syria has not helped you either in any war and why americans should be stupid enough to travel to syrian regions, etc.

principians....I'm *quite* serious -- WHY should I care about Mexican violence as a US citizen?

And if I care about Mexican violence, should I be obligated to try to fix *all* the violence in the world?

The "size" of the violence is irrelevant to me. There is plenty of violence in US cities that, sadly, most Americans don't care about.

There is violence in Africa.

There is violence in former Soviet-block nations.

There is violence throughout the Middle East.

There is violence in Asia.

So what...there is violence in Mexico too. What of it? WHY is this my concern?

As for it affecting the US...I agree YOUR fucking violence spills over to the US...that's why I'd like to see about 100,000 US troops returned from overseas and lined up along your/the Mexican border with shoot-to-kill orders...that might help make Mexican violence and exclusively Mexican problem.

@principians -- Uh...reverse question...how much do YOU care about violence in...oh...pick a random South American nation where drug cartels export narcotics and violence. Do you care about that?

How much do YOU care about, let's say, violence on the street of LA, Chicago and Detroit? Maybe Mexico should send some cash assistance to those troubled US cities, huh?

I just wonder if would not have been sweet that people like you krellin, had had the same attitude sayin:

Syria... fix you own fucking problems!

While in Mexico, where U.S. has actually some responsability, you just wash you hands...

I do care about that Krellin, and I do think that violence in South America ans LA an Chicago and Detroit, is actually related to violence in Mexico. And I'm not asking you cash, I'm just asking you to make public the situation.

You can put you 100,000 US troops and things will get worse cause if mexicanc borders are semiclosed, crime goups will start competing for Canadian borders (they are much more powerful than you think, again, watch the videos).

In any case it would be much better strategy if you could control the weapons U.S. produces and keep arriving not only to Mexico but also Africa, Middle East and Africa (I don't know much about Soviet-block, but if you have informative videos I'd be glad to watch them)

"I'm just asking you to make public the situation. " Uh....it IS public. Are fucking President sold guns to your drug cartels...and most of the American people don't give a shit, unfortunately.

And, if Mexico doesn't want guns flowing IN from the US, then **secure your borders** and don't blame us.


OK...here's the deal...in a "I feel" sense, sure, I care about violence to every individual anywhere that has violence commited against them. Yes, violence between man/womankind is a horrible thing. There...whew...I have expresed my compassion for my fellow man.

Now...from a practical standpoint, I'm trying to pay my taxes, feed my kids, help them with their homework so they can go to a good college, teach them to be good decent people, feeding my cats, etc. My government asit curretnly stands spends way too much money, and does a shitty job of caring for American citizens.

So if you are asking me to be concerned about your violence...well, we Americans, both as individuals, and as a nation, have problems enough of out own.

Maps have pretty borders drawn on them. It's time the nations of the world started to RESPECT those borders. YOU, Mexico, need to do a better job of KEEPING YOUR VIOLENCE inside your border...you know, maybe ARREST a few drug lords now and then. And then do a better job of securing your border to keep US guns out. We should do a bettter job of keeping your citizens in your country, and keeping your drugs from crossing in to our country. We should do this, as I described, with about 100,000 armed troops to stop the Mexican invasion/war on the US, with shoot-to-kill orders.

That would be a damned good start.

"n any case it would be much better strategy if you could control the weapons U.S. produces and keep arriving not only to Mexico but also Africa, Middle East and Africa (I don't know much about Soviet-block, but if you have informative videos I'd be glad to watch them) "

Sorry....fuck you...this cocked up notion that the world violence problem is the result of US weapons is just **bullshit** you moron. Funny...lots of AK47's on the street....when did we start producing those?

If you are that much of a moron that if you think the *world* isn't rife with gun trade apart from the US, then there is no hope of discussing anything with you, because you are a typical "The US is the source of all evil" moron.

Yes, I know it's public there's violence in Mexico Krellin. What is not so public is why and how it works, how it emerges, how it resembles, if it does, crime violence in other parts of the world including some cities in U.S. How some americans have certain responsability (I'm not making reference to the good ones like you). What is not so public is what's the role the mexican state itself is playing in all this: you'r totally right about the fact that Mexico should do a much better job, but what you don't know Krellin, is that probably Mexico government is not much interested in that.

No man, I didn't say anything like that. There's a problem of weopon traffick in which some americans, but not only americans are involved. And all I say is that making an effort in controling the weapon traffic could be a good idea.

But I absolutely disagree that the US is the source of evil. I appretiate US, I admire many things of americans, I had an american girlfriend some years ago... and I hate extremisms

Principians, thank you for sharing the videos with us. Hopefully things in Mexico will soon improve.

Yeah.....right.....when the last Mexican swims across the border, maybe...

krellin, I'm shocked that you don't care that there's basically a war going on in a country that shares a huge border with us. One of my pledge sons was from Monterrey (he was a foreign exchange student, before you jump to conclusions, and is now a wildly successful biomedical engineer), and he would, quietly and obviously leaving many things out, tell stories about how bad things were there due to the Drug War.

Ignoring or minimizing the problem is ridiculous. While we aren't finding headless corpses in the United States yet, the conflict, almost seamlessly, goes on on our side of the Rio Grande too. You can't just tell those Mexicans to fix their own problems. It's one problem. We just have the half easier to live with.

Invictus...why should I care? There is violence all around the world....people killing people on a continuous basis. Shall we rally the troops and invade Mexico now, because we aren't in enough wars?

I already explained myself, unless you are illiterate. YES...as a human being I feel bad that people in Mexico are killing each other.

Invictus...there is a god damned war going on in the street of CHICAGO. There is damned near daily murder in DETROIT.

You want me to cry for Mexico?

As I have said...bring the military home from overseas....let's end our endless wars...and line the Rio Grande....You're damned right I care about the "war" in Mexico...I'd like our military to *contain it to Mexico*.

Don't give me bullshit that "Wahhh....it's our neighbor" as if somehow the proximity of the humans being killed in a foreign land is supposed to make me care for them more somehow.

You want to get all weepy eyes about people dying? Then get weepy eyed for ALLLLLLLL the humans that are dying.

If you want to expend US *anything* to stem the violence in Mexico because people are dying, well let me tell you, chap, it's 2013...we have aircraft carriers, aircraft, etc that can project force *anywhere* we damned well choose.

So....either you are a compassionate human being and care about human beings being killed and therefore think the US *must* protect human beings everywhere.....or you are a damned hypocrite, and only care about the people next to you.

Fuck the Mexicans. Fuck the Syrians. Fuck the Africans. I'm sick and tired of people that can't control their own countries looking to the US for us to spill blood and **waste** our resources to solve other people's problems......because what's the reward for our spilled blood and wasted resources? We get hated and abused and shit upon by the world.

FUCK MEXICO.

Where did you get the idea I want to invade Mexico?

You should care because the conflict is just as much a part of Los Angeles as Monterrey. Things going bad there mean things going bad here. We need something like a Plan Colombia for Mexico. We can't just pretend this problem doesn't exist or doesn't effect us.

I assume you don't want Mexicans streaming across the border. A good way to do that is make Mexico a more attractive place to stay. A good way to do that is decreasing the levels of violence there.

Invitus...read.....this.....slowly.....

As....a.....human....being....I....care....about....EVERYONE.....dying.....from.....violence....

As an American, what do you want me to do? OK...so you don't want to invade Mexico and stop their violence. Fine. Good for you. So what do you want?

I told you, I care....but it's MEXICO....it is THEIR PROBLEM, not mine.

As for some stream of Mexicans crossing the border, I already told you what should be done about that: CLOSE THE BORDER. Shoot to kill.

You say, "Wahhhh....we can't just pretend this problem doesn't exist....wahhhh...."

Well good for you, I never said to pretend it doesn't exist. I simply said it's NOT OUR PROBLEM any more that Syria, Africa, Columbia, the Sudan, various ex-Soviet states, etc ARE NOT OUR PROBLEM.

Does it affect us? Yes...THAT is why we need to close the border.

Here's a clue for you...violence in the Sudan affects us. Violence in Syria affects us. Violence anywhere affects us in as much as various elements...such as Al Qeuada, can infiltrate regions affected by violence and use desparate people for evil intent.

If the Middle East, as an entire region, were a compilation of free state, were individual freedoms were the norm, where poverty and a lack of education were not pervasive, then you could make the argument that people like Bin Laden could never come to control a bunch of people with no hope for a good life other than flying a jet in to "the great Satan" for whom all their problems were placed....because generally speaking, free and prosperous people do not reach the point of despair where they are able to be used in such a wicked way to finally obtain joy through death.

So....if you want to solve ALL of the problems that affect the US, then you had better be prepared to send the troops to every region of violence in the entire world.

OR....close the fucking borders, stop fucking with other sovereign states, and let them deal with their own problem. Than maybe assholes with bombs and airplanes might not be so inclined to fuck with us and blame us for their problems.

You just don't get it. It should be clear now I'm not a bleeding heart liberal. This is one conflict.

You'd have to LITERALLY close the borders for your plan to work. Meaning not even trade, not even mail. The drugs, which are the ur-problem here, will get in if there is anything less than a moat with crocodiles.

Stop being a Little Englander. It's ridiculous to think the horrors in Mexico do not directly effect us here. Try telling someone in South Texas this isn't our problem too.

Another problem sensible gun laws could solve.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/14/mexico.guns/

Oh but we won't do anything about it. And Texas and Arizona especially won't do anything about it. They'll continue to blame the problem on undocumented workers, even though the presence of undocumented workers is inversely correlated to crime.

These kinds of gun crimes are already really, really illegal. We need more resources to address the problem, not superfluous laws.

It's the access to guns that is the problem, which is why the Mexican government continually asks Congress to pass laws that regulate gun sales in stores across the border. If this were already regulated we wouldn't have these requests.

But as predicted, people will find any excuse to look at everything else except easy and unfettered access to guns.

I'm curious, Putin (and other proponents of disarmament laws)... if you were a Mexican official, would you take the (illegal) guns out of the hands of the Tepalcatepec Self-Defense Militia featured in the second video?

The militias are a reflection of the failed policy of appeasement which the Nieto administration has implemented since replacing Calderon. They are doing the job the security forces were doing under Calderon.

So the answer is yes, with the condition that the security forces move far more aggressively against the cartels, eliminating the need for these self-styled militias.

And anybody who thinks you can just give up on the drug war needs to visit Michoacan.

fuck sovereign states
sovereign states are tools of the elite

"They are doing the job the security forces were doing under Calderon. "

Um... under Calderon and Fox the security forces were defecting to the cartels. Disarming these militias and subjecting the people to the whims of the local army commander (whose loyalty - and those of his men - can always be bought for the right price) is to inevitably hand their lives, liberty, and property back into the hands of the very cartels they have sacrificed so much to be free of.

In one of my answers to Krellin I said mexican violence is much worse than syrian violence. I was wrong. What the video says is that mexican violence is much worse than violence in Afganisthan and Irak combined. Since Syria is engaged in a violent civil war, there have been more deaths than in Mexico. But deaths in Mexico are near to those in Syria, which is impressive if we consider that Mexico is supposed to be in peace. My fault to have said what I said anyway.

The other stupidness I said was that If borders with Mexico were semiclosed then crime groups would start competing for borders with Canada. There might be somthing true about that. But things would get much more expensive for cartels to manage that. It's doable but not a very practical solution, in spite of the true fact that crime groups are much more powerful than some people could think. It's true however, that they're not unbeatable and can be controlled. So, if U.S. actually could have an effective control of borders, that would be a huge blow to group crimes.

Questions remain. How can be actually achieved an effective control in the borders not only of drug traffic, but any kind of illega traffic (including weapons and people) without affecting legal traffic? What are the costs and implications? And, a point I fully agree with Krellin is that it should not be a responsability of U.S only, since Mexico has at least the same (probably more) responsability and Mexico government should be doing a much better job. Regarding this last point there are more things I need to share with you, so that you can fairly judge why mexican government strategies keep failing (it might not be a lack of efforts... or it could be in some deep sense). Since I have not all the free time I 'd like, it will take some days for me to translate another talk that would be useful to complement the info I already posted.

"Um... under Calderon and Fox the security forces were defecting to the cartels."

That's an exaggeration. One cartel has former Mexican army people running it, but Calderon deployed tens of thousands of soldiers to fight the cartels and 6,000-7,000 in Michoacan alone. Nieto has pulled the plug on this and the result is that it's a free for all with the local government being forced to pay tribute to or work for the cartels or face execution, ala Ygnacio Mendoza. Because the Mexican security forces are no longer doing their job, the people living in terror from the gangsters have no choice but to do what they can to fight back, even though they aren't trained and they are much less successful at fighting the gangsters than Calderon's forces were.

In spite of all this, look at the rate of depression in Mexico -- less than the U.S:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/11/07/a-stunning-map-of-depression-rates-around-the-world/