: Zavala argues that homicidal violence in Mexico is often not "cartel vs. cartel," but rather state-led violence (military and police) aimed at clearing resource-rich areas for private or corporate interests. Criticism of Journalism
He argues that much of the violence attributed to cartels is actually perpetrated or facilitated by the state itself as part of its political strategies.
The Myth of Drug Cartels: Understanding Oswaldo Zavala's Groundbreaking Analysis
By romanticizing or demonizing the "narco," popular culture validates the official story: that Mexico’s violence is a war between "good guys" (the state) and "bad guys" (the cartels). This completely obscures the state’s own complicity in violence and human rights abuses. Chapters and Structure of the Book Los Carteles No Existen Oswaldo Zavala Pdf Gratis
To understand the weight of this argument, one must consider the author’s perspective. , a city that became one of the epicenters of cartel violence during the war. This borderland origin gives his critique a profound personal urgency.
While you can find summaries and excerpts on sites like ResearchGate or Academia.edu , the full digital book is typically available through legitimate ebook retailers and libraries:
Los cárteles no existen: Narcotráfico y cultura en México Oswaldo Zavala : Zavala argues that homicidal violence in Mexico
Tracing how the language of national security from the United States was adopted by Mexican authorities in the late 20th century to reframe contraband as an existential threat.
The book is also a scathing critique of mainstream journalism, which Zavala accuses of being uncritical and docile. Instead of investigating the political and economic structures that allow drug trafficking to flourish, many news outlets simply reproduce the state's own securitizing language, becoming mouthpieces for the narrative that absolves the system. A prime example Zavala points to is the heavily publicized death of the leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación. For Zavala, the media narrative surrounding such events is designed to reinforce the myth of the cartels as independent actors when, in reality, they are complex, often state-tolerated, economic networks.
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That night, Miguel walked to the edge of town where the irrigation canals run dry. He met don Fermín, an old man who once grew maize on twenty hectares. Now the fields were cracked earth, replaced by a new highway to the border.