Rejecting a renewed “war” against drug traffickers, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday unveiled her strategy to battle organized crime in a nation where each day brings word of new assassinations, gang wars, massacres and other bloodshed.
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Instead, she outlined a four-point strategy that emphasized intelligence-gathering, troop deployment, improved federal-state coordination and providing opportunities to dissuade impoverished young people from joining organized crime — which is among Mexico’s major employers.
A centerpiece of the plan is doubling down on the often-criticized “hugs not bullets” strategy of Sheinbaum’s predecessor and mentor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Build the economy and fund education and social programs. Fight corruption hard.
Its not glamorous or exciting but its what works in the long run.
Why do people turn to crime? Maybe a few idolize Pablo Escobar and the like, but the vast majority are trying to get by, feed their families and bring their kids through school. If legal work has you slaving away for a pittance that won’t even feed your family and corrupt governments take away money meant for the betterment of the community you start to see why some people stop caring or see illicit means as their only way out of poverty.
Education. An educated populace means a skilled workforce, which leads to better paying jobs and a chance out of poverty. I don’t think the choice between a good paying job in an international pharmaceutical company and a dangerous drug lab is a difficult one when you have legitimate options on the table.