Organized crime imposes costs on essential foods and extends its influence in the economy and politics
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Narcotrafficking not only dominates drug trafficking, but it has also extended its control over key sectors of the Mexican economy.
According to journalist Manu Ureste, in his book Living with the Narco, organized crime imposes prices on basic products like avocado and lime, affecting both producers and consumers.
Manu Ureste
Narcotrafficking and the Mexican Economy
Beyond drug trafficking, the cartels have diversified their operations into agri-food, industrial, and commercial sectors.
Extortion of producers, control of trade routes, and price manipulation have turned organized crime into a determining actor in the economy.
Avocado and Lime: Under Narco Control
Two of the most affected products are avocado and lime, key inputs in the Mexican diet and agricultural export.
The cartels impose prices on producers, charge "protection fees", and regulate trade in strategic regions.
The impact not only affects those working in the fields, but it also extends to consumers, generating increases in the final prices of these products.
Pila de aguacates frescos
More Than Drugs: Extortion and Politics
Narcotrafficking has transcended the realm of drugs to control entire economic sectors and exert influence in politics and society.
Practices of extortion, corruption, and violence have allowed criminal groups to determine economic dynamics in several states of the country.
Manu Ureste's book documents how this reality has changed the way businesses, markets, and local governments operate.
Grupo de desplazados por el narcotráfico
Coda
The expansion of narcotrafficking in the Mexican economy is an alarming phenomenon that requires urgent actions from the government and society.
The control of organized crime over key sectors, such as food production and commercialization, directly impacts the cost of living for citizens.
Meanwhile, effective security and economic strategies are not implemented, narcotrafficking will continue consolidating its dominance in the country.
Ideas for New Related Notes
Narco extortion of merchants and its impact on inflation.
The power of organized crime in the agri-food sector.
How narcotrafficking influences Mexico's politics and economy.
