War Zone Acapulco: Urban Drug Trafficking in the Americas

Abstract: Acapulco epitomises the (in)security of urban zones in the Americas whose geographical, political and economic divisions are exacerbated by the political economy and geopolitics of drug trafficking, as well as by militarised attempts to fight it. Various geographic, political, and economic factors in the Acapulco Metropolitan Zone (AMZ) have impacted drug trafficking and organised crime and contributed to high levels of violence. As a result, Acapulco now ranks among the 50 most violent cities in the world. This article analyses the trends in drug trafficking and organised crime in the AMZ, and highlights the lessons for scholars and policy-makers. Keywords: Drug Trafficking; Urbanisation; Militarisation; Acapulco; Mexico; Criminology; Other-ness. Introduction Mexico’s ‘war on drugs’ began in 2006 when President Felipe Calderon launched a mili-tary campaign against drug trafficking and organised crime. The results have been under-whelming; in the subsequent decade, the ‘war on drugs’