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influence was observed in 42% of Mexican communities' local elections; the most
often used strategies were bribery and intimidation.
However, the waltz continues beyond the city limits. The goals of the cartels now
penetrate the core ofMexican politics. More than eighty political candidates were
slain in 2021; many of these deaths were connected to their defiance of cartel
pressure. This terrifying reign sends a terrifying message: loyalty or forgetting. What
is the outcome? a concerning increase in the number of politicians with ties to cartels
holding office in regional and national congresses. According to a Centre for
Economic and Policy Research report from 2022, at least 12% of federal lawmakers
were known to have connections to organised crime.
This cartel infiltration has far-reaching and horrifying repercussions. A government
tainted by drug money loses credibility and capacity to rule efficiently. As law
enforcement becomes rife with cartel moles, public safety erodes. Criminal interests
take control of policymaking, giving drug trafficking routes precedence over
infrastructure improvements and educational initiatives. The rule of law turns into a
frayed tapestry with places where impunity seeps through.
This political waltz has a startling human cost. With over 33,000 homicides in 2023,
Mexico has a record-high homicide rate, much of which is linked to cartel violence.