Security: a failed legacy

Spending MXN $7,600 million in three years but not reaching the goal is a failure. That's the amount of money the Mexican government allocated to operations to dismantle drug cartels in Jalisco between 2015 and 2018; nevertheless, instead of weakening, cartels consolidated during that time.

The main goal was to arrest Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes , identified as the main leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel.

The resources were used to deploy mixed operation bases , security checkpoints , eradication operation bases, and surveillance sites . The Federal Police , the Navy , and the Attorney General's Office ( PGR ) took part in the operations.

The story published by EL UNIVERSAL today about Jalisco is not very different from other stories that have emerged all over the country in the last years. States plagued by violence have received support from the federal forces ; security strengthens for a short time and then resurfaces with the same or even more strength than before.

The results inherited by the current government in regards to insecurity are poor. For example, the number of intentional homicides is the highest one since the government started keeping records.

The presence and control drug cartels possess over large regions of the country can only be explained by their power to corrupt the authorities. This is why there's a need to strictly monitor the security forces and prevent information leaks . Attacking those issues should be enough to weaken criminal organizations , on the contrary, the insecurity scenario won't change.

The previous administration left many unfinished businesses , such as the professionalization of police corporations, and the application of trust evaluations . Those states that invested in its security corps saw a decrease in its crime rates.

The government has a long way to go but there are many lessons about what can be avoided in order to save up millions in security expenses. Learning from the mistakes of others has never been as valid as it is today.

2017: Mexico's bloodiest year yet

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