The Impact of Violence on Mexican Communities

At a recent event, Vanda Felbab-Brown discussed the impact organized crime is having in Mexico, arguing that the government must change the narrative around violence from the current message that it is just “narcos killing each other,” to one that highlights the fact that the violence is destroying communities and must be ended.

She also noted that while the complexities of the situation in Mexico mean the government has very few options, the strategies of focusing resources on stopping crime in the most violent areas and using that area as an example and deterrent, and working to bring down the mid-level criminals rather than the heads of cartels may be successful.