I think you have that backwards - the cartels appear to own the government.
I think you have that backwards - the cartels appear to own the government.
It's a symbiotic relationship. Government creates jobs for itself by declaring a war on drugs, thus hyperinflating drug profits and eliminating law-abiding competition for the cartels - and the cartels give bribe money to officials and behave badly enough to provide a rationalization for continuing the war on drugs.
Defund the cartels and the corrupt officials - relegalize drugs!