08/08/2011. The legalization of drugs in Mexico would not solve the problem of crime and violence, because drug trafficking gangs also commit other crimes and if they were legalized, they would find other illicit ways to enrich themselves.
The technical secretary of the National Security Council, Alejandro Poiré, in his blog on the website of the Presidency of the Republic, published an article in which he debunks what he calls the ninth myth that "security will only be achieved if drugs are legalized."
In that sense, he pointed out that the reduction of violence rates in Mexico not only has to do with the consumption and trafficking of drugs, but also has many other challenges because since about 20 years ago criminal gangs began to diversify their criminal activities towards extortion, kidnapping, assault and others.
Poiré Romero pointed out that "the federal government has said time and again that we are open to debating the issue of drug legalization, but keeping in mind that the problem of security is much more complex than that."
This is an extremely complex issue and to assume that the legalization of drugs would solve the problem of insecurity would imply thinking that criminal drug trafficking gangs today are exclusively dedicated to drug trafficking and distribution, he said.
"To think that only by taking away the criminal drug business would these organizations disappear, ignores this criminal diversification that forces us to give substantive solutions, so that they pay for the crimes committed, and so that this leads to greater security," he warned.
In his message, Poiré Romero explained that it must be recognized that in Mexico this central desire of every democratic country has been postponed for a long time: "that our security and justice institutions are reliable and truly work for the population."
Regrettable events that occur in some localities of the country show again and again the need, "the urgency we have in renewing our police and (agents of the) Public Ministry, particularly the premises that have the responsibility to prevent and directly investigate nine out of 10 crimes that occurred in the country."
"If we don't have reliable police, criminals will always find a new activity, a new market, a new way to enrich themselves illicitly," he said.
Alejandro Poiré indicated that "decreasing the level of violence requires systematically weakening criminal organizations to restrict their operational and logistical networks."
This also requires adapting the law, so that the authority has more instruments against criminals, having strong local institutions that are able to assume their responsibility effectively, as well as strengthening the social fabric.
The legalization of drugs, he continued, "is one of the most important international debates of our time and Mexico participates in it based on its own experience and based on the review of cases that clearly show that taking partial decisions triggers other types of problems."
He exemplified that the United States is the largest drug market in the world, where a dozen entities allow the medicinal use of marijuana.
However, the impact that this has on the distribution, production, law enforcement and even on the culture of consumption of this and other illegal substances both in that country and in the rest of the world is practically not debated or analyzed.
If it were a question of legalizing drugs in Mexico in isolation and without a similar trend in other nations, drug prices would not fall and that would represent more income for criminal organizations operating in the country; hence, the measure would be not only useless but dangerous, warned Alejandro Poiré.
That is why the debate should be comprehensive and global, taking into account of course the impact that legalization would have on matters of public health and security, said the spokesman for the National Security Strategy.
He added that "the fight for our authentic and lasting security is bigger than a policy of regulating drugs. It covers more dimensions, which we all recognize as necessary and in which we must work in co-responsibility the three orders of government and society as a whole."
Source: excelsior.com.mx
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