A Narco History

The "War Against Drugs": who started it, and why? What are its consequences in real terms, not mere statistics, for the people most affected by it? One hundred thousand deaths later-with the vast majority of those killed innocent citizens, such as the 43 teachers college students murdered in Guerrero-the solution to peace requires a radical rethinking of how America, and its neighbors, approach the illegal drug trade. The origins of this cataclysm of violence go back a century: and no two writers are better suited to this investigation than Carmen Boullosa and Mike Wallace. Through these two legendary prize-winning authors, one Mexican and the other American, we learn of economic disaster, mass migration of families fleeing violence, and the chaos that has ensued as direct results of this disastrous policy promulgated by the U.S. Government. Before the nationwide assault on the drug cartels, Mexico had one of the lowest crime rates in Latin America. Now, it may be the most crime-ridden country on the planet.