abstract: The presence of drug cartels within Mexico impacts U.S. national security, foreign policy, U.S. crime rates, and public health policy. Due to the direct and indirect effects that the cartels have on the United States, this paper examines the Mérida Initiative, the current U.S. anti-cartel policy, and makes several recommendations for future policy directions. Using official documents as well as current academic research, this paper examines the outcomes of past comparable policies that the United States has implemented in Colombia and Afghanistan to address the issue of drug trafficking. The paper then builds on the present successes of the Mérida Initiative by recommending several policies in the areas of international cooperation, agricultural development, Mexican targeting and enforcement, and U.S. law enforcement. This paper recommends that information sharing between countries should be increased to reduce the likelihood that pressure place on cartels will cause displacement; crop eradication cease and alternative crop development be implemented to reduce illicit crop growth; the joint Mexican-U.S. enforcement focus should move from high-value targets to more highly connected members; the United States should increase vetting for gun purchases to help keep guns out of the hands of cartel members; and domestic drug policies should shift toward treatment and demand-focused policies. By implementing the recommended policies, this paper suggests that the influence of cartels within Mexico as well as the United States may be reduced. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Criminology and Criminal Justice 2014

Mexico and the United States share not only an approximately 3000 km border but also important roles concerning drug traffic. With the U.S. as the major consumer and Mexico as its principal supplier, they make the perfect supply and demand equation. As a result, they share the threats related to drug traffic which affects the political, social, and economic level of both countries. During the last decade, the Mexican drug cartels have gained control of the drug entering the United States, so Mexico is a crucial issue in drug matters to their American neighbors. Currently, both nations accepted a shared responsibility in drug traffic cases and are working hand in hand to limit the capabilities of DTOs, but there remains the open question if such efforts are significantly useful. This thesis presents an analysis of the U.S. influence on the escalation of the fight against illicit drugs in Mexico during Bush and Obama administrations and the effectiveness of the counter-drug assistance program: the Merida Initiative. I argue that the Merida Initiative has been successful improving the U.S.-Mexican relations regarding bilateral counter-drug policies. However, the Mexican drug cartels have reached their momentum and seem to be leading the drug market. Besides, it is necessary to pursue a critical...

Les relations entre les Etats-Unis et l’Amérique latine entre 1988 et 2008 ont connu de nombreux bouleversements et chambardements. Les nombreuses raisons qui en sont les causes ont été abordées dans cette thèse. Après avoir étudié les enjeux théoriques de leurs relations nous nous sommes demandés si la politique étrangère était une politique publique comme les autres. Suite à une comparaison générale nous avons étudié les spécificités de l’aide publique au développement et le cas d’une théorie promue par George Bush Jr qui est la « diplomatie transformationnelle ». Dans un second temps, nous avons étudié les bouleversements diplomatiques apparus dans un certain nombre de pays de cette région du fait de l’arrivée de gouvernements de gauche. Les pages consacrées aux trois programmes élaborés par Washington dans les années 2000 (MCA, les deux plans Colombie et le Plan Merida) montrent leur originalité mais aussi leur application et leurs résultats mitigés tant du point de vue de l’efficacité, de l’efficience que de la consolidation des relations diplomatiques avec les pays de cette région. Enfin, nous avons décrit et analysé l’importance des enjeux énergétiques avec l’Amérique latine pour les Etats-Unis puis développé les raisons qui les poussent à vouloir constituer la ZLEA. Cela démontre l’imbrication des questions économiques, diplomatiques et sécuritaires pour les décideurs américains. / The relations between the United States and Latin America between 1988 and 2008 had known a lot of upheavals. The different reasons which were at the origin of that were approached in this dissertation. After having studied the theorical stakes concerning their relations we asked ourself if foreign policy was a classic public policy. Then, we studied development aid’s specificities and a theory promoted by George W. Bush which is the « transformational diplomacy ». In a second part, we studied diplomatical upheavals appeared in some countries of the region, consequence of the election of left wing governments. Pages dedicated to the three programs worked out by Washington during the 2000’s (MCA, both Colombian plans and Merida Initiative) showed the originality but also their application and their reserved results so much from the point of view of the efficiency and the consolidation of the diplomatical relations with the countries of this region. At last, we described and analyzed the importance the energy challenges with Latin America for the United States and developed reasons which urge them to want to constitute the FTAA. This show The interweaving of the economic, diplomatic and security questions for the American decision-makers.