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MEXICO – An iconic photo from 1993 shows Colombian policemen smiling as they squat on the bullet-riddled body Pablo Escobar, who, according to Forbes magazine, was the world's richest drug trafficker. The photo was taken by Steve Murphy, an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who helped find the leader accused of fomenting mass murder in his homeland. The fate of Mr. Escobar should serve as an example to other people who traffic in dead and miseries, said drug czar Lee Brown during the celebrations in Bogotá and Washington.
Twenty-five years later, Joaquin Guzman, the new supervillain, known as El Chapo, appears in Brooklyn federal court, accused of selling $ 14 billion worth of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and crystal meth for more than 25 years. Mr. Guzman's infamy, including his escape from two maximum-security Mexican prisons, places him alongside Mr. Escobar and the trafficker Al Capone as the most notorious traffickers of modern times.
Between the death of Mr. Escobar and the trial of Mr. Guzman, which began this week, the war on drugs began. In terms of removing the royal pillars and burning a lot of narcotics, it was a resounding success. This is to reduce the number of Americans killed as a result of overdoses or Latin America murdered for smuggling profits, it is a resounding failure.
The Drug Policy Alliance estimates that the fight against the illicit drug trade costs US taxpayers $ 58 billion a year. But in 2017, there was a record 15,900 deaths from heroin overdose, as well as a record number of deaths from cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl. In Mexico, it is estimated that more than 119,000 people were killed in a decade during the battle between rival drug cartels and various security forces. It is comparable to the worst armed conflicts in the world and has destabilized much of the country.
Most drug dealers extradited to the United States have agreements. But Guzman pleaded not guilty, forcing prosecutors to prepare a case that was to last several months. They say that they will call witnesses, including his fellow traffickers, to describe how he smuggled drugs – as in jalapeño chilli cans – corrupt Mexican officials at all levels and designed the brutal murder of his enemies.
Eduardo Balarezo, one of Mr. Guzman's defense lawyers, told me that he would challenge the witnesses, draw attention to any agreement they might have made for their testimony, and that he would hand over cause the tactics of DEA agents. In the old days, Agents have been criticized for using questionable informants and being integrated into drug traffickers.
Prosecutors may well prove that Mr. Guzman is guilty of heinous crimes. But they are also likely to inadvertently highlight decades of inability to stop the flow of drugs or bloodshed, as well as special cases of AED tactics and assistance to Mexican security who suffer from corruption. As the world looks at the situation, it will be hard not to wonder whether Mr. Guzman's case is actually challenging the war on drugs.
This does not mean that Mr. Guzman does not deserve to spend his life in jail if the jury convicts him. Covering cartel violence in Mexico since 2001, I have seen hundreds of bloody corpses and heard the anguish of too many of their loved ones, representing a huge human cost. And D.E.A. agents risk their lives trying to stop this threat.
But even if Mr. Guzman is sentenced to maximum security, families on both sides of the border will not be spared more drug overdoses and violence. Victims deserve more.
Developing a better drug policy is a difficult challenge, but we have a historic opportunity. Just ten years ago, many observers said that any legalization of drugs was a no-start. But on November 6, Michigan became the 10th state to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes; Canada has legalized it and Mexico is taking steps in that direction.
We may never want stores selling openly heroin. But in addition to legalizing less dangerous drugs, a better effort could be made to bring more addicts into rehabilitation; a A 2015 study found that nearly 80% of Americans with problematic opioid use were not receiving treatment. Methadone programs can also help some addicts and prevent them from funding mass killings south of the Rio Grande.
A first step is simply to recognize that the current drug policy is failing. If this continues to stumble, in 25 years, we will probably focus on a new hub, as well as other stories of drug money, police corruption and corpses.
Ioan Grillo (@ioangrillo) is the author of "Gangster Warlords: Drug Dollars, Killing Fields and the New Politics of Latin America" and an opinion writer.
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