Amexica

1. Amexica: A Borderland of Paradox and Violence

The borderland is a place of paradox: of opportunity and poverty, promise and despair, love and violence, sex and church, beauty and fear, sweat and family.

A Region of Contrasts. Amexica, a term coined to describe the 2,100-mile strip along the U.S.-Mexico border, is a land of stark contradictions. It's a place where the first and third worlds collide, where opportunity and poverty exist side-by-side, and where the promise of a better life is often overshadowed by violence and despair. This region is not just a geographical boundary but a cultural and economic entity with its own unique identity.

• It is a place of both seamlessness and contrast, where families live astride the frontier, and workers commute across the line.
• It is a place of both opportunity and poverty, where sweatshop factories thrive alongside extreme deprivation.
• It is a place of both love and violence, where the beauty of the landscape is juxtaposed with the brutality of the narco war.

A Battlefield Wrapped in Everyday Life. The borderland is not just a place of paradox but also a battlefield, where cartels fight for control of drug routes and the resulting plazas. This conflict is not separate from daily life but is deeply intertwined with it, creating a constant state of tension and fear. The violence is not just about drugs but also about power, territory, and the control of the lucrative domestic market.

A Unique Identity. Amexica is a territory in its own right, estranged from both Washington and Mexico City, with its own music, slang, and culture. It is a place where Spanglish is spoken, where a bicycle is a "baica," and where a wife can be a "waifa." This unique identity is a product of the constant interaction and exchange between two cultures, creating a third space that is neither fully American nor fully Mexican.

2. The Narco Cartels: A History of Greed and Power

The drug cartels were prototypes and pioneers of globalization.

From Bootleggers to Global Syndicates. The Mexican drug cartels have evolved from small-time bootleggers and heroin producers to powerful, multinational organizations. Their history is intertwined with the history of the border itself, from the Prohibition era to the rise of cocaine and methamphetamine. They are not just criminal enterprises but also pioneers of globalization, adapting to changing markets and exploiting the porous nature of the border.

• The first narco syndicate was run by a woman, Ignacia "la Nacha" Jasso, who traded in heroin after the end of Prohibition.
• The cartels gained power during the 1970s and 80s, when the U.S. government's war on drugs inadvertently strengthened their position.
• They became the primary couriers for cocaine from Colombia, and later diversified into methamphetamine and other drugs.

A Complex Web of Alliances and Rivalries. The Mexican cartels are not a monolithic entity but a complex web of competing organizations, each vying for control of the lucrative drug trade. These cartels are not just criminal enterprises but also political and economic forces, with deep ties to corrupt officials and police forces. The cartels are not just fighting for control of the border but also for control of the domestic market, leading to a bloody and chaotic war.

• The Guadalajara cartel, founded by Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, was the first major narco syndicate in Mexico.
• After Gallardo's arrest, the cartel split into several factions, including the Tijuana, Sinaloa, and Juárez cartels.
• The Gulf cartel, based in Tamaulipas, is a powerful rival to the Sinaloa cartel, with its own paramilitary wing, Los Zetas.

A Pax Mafiosa Shattered. The cartels initially operated under a system of "plazas," territories controlled by different factions, with a tacit agreement to avoid conflict. However, this Pax Mafiosa has been shattered by greed, ambition, and the desire for total control, leading to a brutal and chaotic war that has engulfed the entire border region. The arrest of key leaders like Félix Gallardo and the rise of new, more ruthless cartels have further destabilized the region.

3. The Plaza: A Marketplace of Contested Control

As masters of the border, Mexican narcos were in a position to assume control of the hemisphere.

The Border as a Commodity. The Mexican cartels have come to realize that their most valuable asset is not the drugs themselves but the 2,000-mile border they share with the United States. This border is not just a geographical line but a complex marketplace, a "plaza" where drugs, people, and weapons are traded. The cartels fight for control of these plazas, using violence and intimidation to maintain their dominance.

• The plaza is not just a physical location but also a sphere of influence, a territory controlled by a particular cartel.
• The cartels pay off corrupt officials and police forces to protect their plazas and ensure the smooth flow of their business.
• The battle for the plazas is not just about drugs but also about power, prestige, and the control of the local economy.

A Shifting Landscape of Power. The control of the plazas is constantly shifting, with different cartels vying for dominance. The Sinaloa cartel, led by Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, has been a major force in the borderland, but it faces challenges from the Gulf cartel and its paramilitary wing, Los Zetas. The Beltrán Leyva cartel, once allied with Guzmán, has also become a major player in the conflict.

• The Tijuana cartel, once a dominant force, has been weakened by internal conflicts and attacks from rival cartels.
• The Juárez cartel, once led by Amado Carrillo Fuentes, has been fragmented into various factions, including La Línea.
• Los Zetas, originally the military wing of the Gulf cartel, have become a powerful and ruthless organization in their own right.

The Domestic Market. The battle for the plazas is not just about the export of drugs to the United States but also about the control of the domestic market in Mexico. The cartels are fighting for control of the streets, the corners, and the local drug trade, leading to a brutal and chaotic war that has engulfed the entire country. The domestic market has become a new plaza, with its own set of rules and its own level of violence.

4. The Human Cost: Mutilation, Torture, and Death

They love to think of themselves as Scarface; it’s their favorite movie.

A Culture of Extreme Violence. The narco war has unleashed a level of violence that is both shocking and disturbing. Mutilation, decapitation, and torture have become common tactics, used to intimidate rivals and send messages to the public. The violence is not just about killing but also about displaying power and control.

• The cartels use narcomantas (banners) and narcomensajes (messages) to communicate their threats and warnings.
• They employ sicarios (hitmen) to carry out their executions, often with extreme brutality.
• They have even begun to target women and children, breaking the old codes of conduct.

The Stew Maker. The arrest of Santiago Meza López, known as "El Pozolero," revealed the horrific methods used by the cartels to dispose of bodies. Meza confessed to dissolving hundreds of corpses in acid, a gruesome practice that highlights the dehumanization of the victims. This act of dissolving bodies in acid is a symbol of the cartels' desire to erase their victims from existence.

A War Against the People. The violence is not just directed at rival cartels but also at the general population. The cartels use public executions and mutilations to instill fear and control, turning the borderland into a place of constant terror. The killing has become a war against the people, with no one safe from the violence.

• The cartels target police officers, journalists, and anyone who challenges their authority.
• They use schools and public places to display their power and intimidate the population.
• They have even begun to target the families of their rivals and those who oppose them.

5. The Porous Border: A Conduit for Trade and Suffering

The more the United States builds its fence, enhances its technological stockade, and empowers its patrols and customs officers, the more the number of people crossing the border legally increases.

A Paradoxical Frontier. The U.S.-Mexico border is a paradox: it is both porous and harsh, a place of both opportunity and danger. While the United States has invested heavily in border security, the number of people crossing the border legally continues to increase. The border is not just a barrier but also a conduit for trade, migration, and cultural exchange.

• Millions of people cross the border legally every day, for work, shopping, and family visits.
• The border is a major trade route, with billions of dollars worth of goods crossing each year.
• The border is also a place of cultural exchange, with its own unique language, music, and traditions.

The Maquiladora System. The maquiladora system, a network of sweatshop assembly plants along the border, has created jobs for Mexicans but has also led to exploitation and poor working conditions. These factories have become a symbol of the economic inequality and exploitation that exist along the border. The maquiladoras have also contributed to the growth of the border cities, creating a demand for housing, services, and infrastructure.

A Two-Way Street. The border is not just a one-way street for drugs and migrants but also a conduit for weapons and cash. The United States is a major source of weapons for the Mexican cartels, and the flow of cash from the drug trade back into the United States is a major problem for law enforcement. The border is a complex system of interconnected flows, both legal and illegal.

• The United States is a major source of weapons for the Mexican cartels.
• The cartels launder billions of dollars through U.S. banks and businesses.
• The border is a place of constant movement, with people and goods flowing in both directions.

6. The Devil's Highway: A Graveyard of Migrant Dreams

This is a shared story. This is American history, Mexican history, and Indian history.

A Deadly Route. El Camino del Diablo, the Devil's Highway, is a deadly trail through the Sonoran Desert, used by migrants attempting to cross into the United States. This route has become a graveyard for thousands of people who have died from dehydration, exposure, and violence. The Devil's Highway is a symbol of the desperation and danger that migrants face in their search for a better life.

• The route was first used by Native Americans and Spanish explorers, but it has become a major crossing point for migrants.
• The U.S. government's border security operations have pushed migrants into more remote and dangerous areas.
• The narco cartels have also become involved in the business of human smuggling, further increasing the risks for migrants.

The Coyotes and the Pollos. The migrants, known as pollos (chickens), are often exploited by coyotes (smugglers) who charge exorbitant fees and abandon them in the desert. The coyotes are not just smugglers but also criminals, often involved in kidnapping, extortion, and violence. The migrants are often treated as commodities, with little regard for their safety or well-being.

A Humanitarian Crisis. The deaths of migrants in the desert have become a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of people dying each year. Humanitarian organizations like Border Angels have placed water stations along the routes, but these efforts are often insufficient to prevent the deaths. The border has become a place of suffering and death, a testament to the human cost of the drug war and the U.S. immigration policies.

• The U.S. Border Patrol has become a major force along the border, with increased resources and technology.
• The migrants are often treated as criminals, with little regard for their human rights.
• The deaths of migrants are often ignored by the authorities, with little effort made to identify the bodies or notify their families.

7. The Postpolitical War: A Conflict Without Cause

Mexico’s war has no ideological pretensions or window dressing—its only cover is that it was originally fought, like other, lesser Mafia wars, over the now diversified product lines that get America (and Europe) high.

A War for Nothing. Unlike traditional wars fought for ideology, religion, or territory, Mexico's narco war is a conflict of the postpolitical era, a war fought for money and the accoutrements of postmodern social status. The violence is not driven by any higher purpose but by greed, ambition, and the desire for power. This makes the war all the more senseless and brutal.

• The war is fought for the smaller profits of the domestic market and local street corners, meted out for its own sake.
• There is no financial gain in killing a street addict, yet this is a common occurrence.
• The war is fought for the accoutrements of postmodern social kudos, the ability to show off the right labels, brands, and products.

A War of Brands and Accessories. The narco war is not just about money but also about status, power, and the ability to display wealth and success. The cartels are not just criminal organizations but also brands, with their own logos, styles, and codes of conduct. The war is fought on YouTube and mobile phones as well as in the streets and backroom torture chambers.

• The cartels use YouTube to threaten rivals and public officials, boast of their killing, and set up rogue "hot spot" digital sites to broadcast their savagery.
• Murders, mutilations, and executions are exhibited on the Internet, themselves a blend of cyber-sado-pornography.
• The narco war is fought for the accoutrements of postmodern social kudos, social performance, the ability to show off the right labels, brands, and products.

A Vacuum of Resistance. The postpolitical nature of the war has created a vacuum of resistance, with neither the political left nor right able to muster any significant opposition. The war is fought for material gain, with no ideological or political pretensions. The only resistance comes from the prepolitical clergy and church groups, and from strong women, as individuals, as organizations, and in the home.

• There is no significant trade union or revolutionary movement against the narco cartels.
• There is no sign of a rightist, fascistic, or vigilante movement for law and order.
• The postpolitical, materialist war meets resistance from the prepolitical clergy and church groups more than any other constituency of society.

8. The Iron River: Guns Flow South, Drugs Flow North

“It’s really a two-way situation here,” said the president, speaking a language never before heard from the White House. “The drugs are coming north, we’re sending funds and guns south.”

A Two-Way Flow. The U.S.-Mexico border is not just a one-way street for drugs but also a conduit for weapons. The United States is a major source of firearms for the Mexican cartels, with a steady flow of guns moving south across the border. This flow of weapons is a major factor in the violence and instability in Mexico.

• The U.S. government has acknowledged the problem of gun trafficking to Mexico, but it has struggled to control it.
• The cartels use straw buyers to purchase weapons legally in the United States, then smuggle them across the border.
• The weapons are often high-powered assault rifles and other military-grade equipment.

The Iron River. The flow of weapons from the United States to Mexico has been dubbed the "Iron River," a term that highlights the scale and intensity of the problem. The Iron River is a major source of concern for both the U.S. and Mexican governments, but it has proven difficult to control. The flow of weapons is a major factor in the violence and instability in Mexico.

• The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been working to combat gun trafficking, but it faces significant challenges.
• The lack of a national gun registry and the ease with which weapons can be purchased in the United States make it difficult to track and control the flow of guns.
• The cartels are constantly adapting their methods, making it difficult for law enforcement to keep up.

A Cycle of Violence. The flow of guns south and drugs north creates a cycle of violence that is difficult to break. The cartels use the weapons to fight for control of the drug trade, and the profits from the drug trade are used to purchase more weapons. This cycle of violence has created a state of near-constant warfare along the border. The narco war is a self-perpetuating cycle of violence, fueled by the demand for drugs in the United States and the availability of weapons in the United States.

9. The Pax Mafiosa: A Fragile Peace in a Violent Land

Gallardo’s vision was one that in Italy is called a Pax Mafiosa, whereby criminal syndicates know their place with reference to each other, law enforcement knows its place in the same scheme of things, the product keeps flowing, and politicians understand that this kind of quiet comes at a price—protection.

A System of Control. The Pax Mafiosa is a term used to describe a system of control in which criminal syndicates agree to a truce, with each syndicate controlling its own territory and avoiding conflict with others. This system is based on a tacit agreement between the cartels, law enforcement, and politicians, with each party playing its role in maintaining the peace.

• The Pax Mafiosa is not a genuine peace but a fragile truce based on mutual self-interest.
• The cartels agree to avoid conflict in order to maintain the flow of drugs and profits.
• Law enforcement and politicians turn a blind eye to the cartels' activities in exchange for bribes and political support.

A Fragile Truce. The Pax Mafiosa is always fragile, and it can be easily shattered by greed, ambition, and the desire for total control. The arrest of a major cartel leader, the rise of a new rival, or a shift in the balance of power can all lead to a breakdown of the truce and a return to violence. The Pax Mafiosa is not a stable system but a temporary arrangement that is constantly under threat.

• The arrest of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo led to the fragmentation of the Guadalajara cartel and the rise of new rivalries.
• The rise of Los Zetas as a powerful paramilitary force has challenged the authority of the Gulf cartel and other organizations.
• The desire for total control and the pursuit of ever-greater profits have led to a constant state of conflict.

A New Order. The Pax Mafiosa is not a return to the old order but a new form of control, in which the cartels have become more powerful and more ruthless. The cartels have learned to adapt to changing circumstances, and they have become more sophisticated in their methods of operation. The Pax Mafiosa is not a sign of peace but a sign of the cartels' ability to adapt and survive.

• The cartels have become more like corporations, with their own brands, logos, and business models.
• They have learned to use technology to their advantage, including the Internet and mobile phones.
• They have become more adept at laundering money and evading law enforcement.

10. The Black Sun: A Glimpse into the Heart of Darkness

The narco war is fought on YouTube and mobile phones as well as in the streets and backroom torture chambers.

A War of the Postmodern Era. The narco war is not just a conflict over drugs but also a reflection of the postmodern era, a time of hypermaterialism, social performance, and the pursuit of status. The war is fought not just for money but also for the accoutrements of wealth and power, the ability to show off the right labels, brands, and products. The narco war is a product of our time, a reflection of our values, or rather lack of values.

• The war is fought for the ability to show off the right clothes, to be accompanied by the appropriately desirable partner, chatter on the latest mobile phone with the latest so-called applications, own the right gadget, and drive the right SUV.
• The narco war is fought on YouTube and mobile phones as well as in the streets and backroom torture chambers.
• The narcos use digital communication not as a weapon of insane holy war but with something approaching a sense of humor with which to goad and boast across cyberspace.

A War Without Meaning. The narco war is a conflict without a cause, a senseless bloodletting driven by greed and the pursuit of power. The violence is often gratuitous, with no clear purpose or objective. The war is a reflection of the nihilism and despair that pervade the borderland.

• Mexicans are mutilating, decapitating, torturing, and killing each other ostensibly over money and the drug-smuggling routes that provide it.
• Some argue that all wars are fought indirectly over money and resources, but most of the savage violence in Mexico is for the smaller profits of the domestic market and local street corner, meted out for its own sake.
• There is no financial gain in killing a street addict.

A Glimpse into the Abyss. The narco war is a glimpse into the heart of darkness, a reflection of the worst aspects of human nature. The violence is not just about killing but also about dehumanization, the stripping away of all that makes us human. The war is a reminder of the fragility of civilization and the ever-present threat of barbarism.

• The narco war is a conflict of the postpolitical era, fought in an age of belligerent hypermaterialism as an ideology in itself.
• The narco war is fought for the accoutrements of postmodern social kudos, social performance, the ability to show off the right labels, brands, and products in accordance with advertising.
• The narco war is fought on YouTube and mobile phones as well as in the streets and backroom torture chambers.

Last updated: January 21, 2025