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Cartels sell more than drugs these days. They learned in the 90s that diversifying into different products gave them more stability against drug enforcement. Avocados have turned into legal profit. Logging in another business. Neither of these things will be affected by someone quitting drugs. Stop building houses and stop eating avocado now.

I think I heard from somewhere that while that might have worked decades ago the cartels have diversified their ‘business’ to the point where drug legalisation wouldn’t kill them. We should still legalise drugs but I doubt they’ll fix the cartel issue.

So, I don't disagree, but we legalized weed in the civilized parts of the country and it had little effect, I'm not sure I want to legalize cocaine, it's much better at killing people.

Exactly.

All of the most common drugs have to be legalised. It's the only way to get rid of the black markets, which can not be regulated.

Just like with alcohol, prohibition simply does not work.

I hate accidentally ending up as mayor on vacation

I know this is satire, though it was my understanding that tourists were protected. Like, don't walk down any dark alleys and listen when someone strongly tells you to go somewhere else, otherwise you're reasonably safe. This was a couple years ago though, and I may be remembering things wholly wrong.

I question those years, man.

However, Guerrero is one of the worst-affected states for drug violence

This is the same mistake people make in the US when talking about "unsafe cities" ignoring that crime is concentrated in certain parts. The same rule applies everywhere in the world: there's safe and unsafe spots. So no, you're not gonna get kidnapped from a Cancun resort anytime soon.

I'm wondering if the vice mayor wants to take the job after that.

Yeaaahh, since US government policies are the entire reason that that drug war exists, Id say thanks, but no thanks.

Edit: to expand a little on this: US drug policy caused the entire drug trade, the high prices, and the extreme violence. The US then doesn't send their best, they send their weapons, and they send them knowingly straight to the cartels (thanks, US gun manufacturers!). US government actually supported this for a while to see if it was true and... Did nothing with that.

Then US army would train Mexican soldier which then took that training straight into the Zetas which murdered even harder.

At this point, I can only say "FIX YOUR GODDAMN DRUG POLICIES, YOU @SSH@LES" and keep away, please.

I didn't think the US has much interest in stopping the cartels, the war on drugs is much too profitable and the cartels provide most of the drugs.

The US and Mexico have cooperated militarily on the issue before. The problem is that the roots are much deeper than a military problem, so no amount of US assistance can shoot the cartels into no longer being a problem for any more than a few metaphorical moments. As long as the fundamental causes of the Cartels' power remain unaddressed by the Mexican government, US assistance isn't going to be much help.

The root problem is that there is a huge self capturing black market demand for drugs, which itself is a problem rooted in capitalist countries throughout the americas prioritizing GDP expansion over human wellbeing.

It's the result of failing healthcare systems, the evaporation of 3rd places, the requirement of a car to survive, the failing housing system, the lack of job security and mobility, etc

No amount of military intervention can change that. Even if you somehow successfully destroyed every cartel with a button press, they'd all be replaced overnight because of the huge demand for drugs.

What can actually effect the demand is:

• food, water, housing, education and healthcare being well funded human rights

• mixed used development/relaxation of zoning laws

• transportation infrastructure that allows people to actually have a choice in how they get places

• unions, workplace democracy, worker protections

You get the picture. Life actually has to be worth living.