Mexican drug war

The Mexican drug war is an ongoing armed conflict between the Mexican government and drug trafficking organisations, and between rival criminal groups themselves. It is usually dated from the start of the presidency of Felipe Calderon, who deployed thousands of soldiers to the state of Michoacan to fight the cartels. The violence escalated rapidly, with groups such as the Sinaloa Cartel, the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel fighting for control of trafficking routes to the United States. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and a great many more disappeared, and the conflict has caused widespread displacement. Critics blame the military approach and corruption, and the debate continues over strategies, including those pursued by later presidents.

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