The evolution of Los Zetas in Mexico and Central America
Subtitle: sadism as an instrument of cartel warfare
By: George W. Grayson
Contributors: Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute; Army War College (U.S.). Press
Publisher: Strategic Studies Institute and U.S. Army War College Press
Published: 2014
Place of publication: Carlisle Barracks, PA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 86
ISBN-13: 9781584876113
Subjects: Cartels; Drug traffic; Organized crime; Zetas (Drug cartel)
Description: The United States has diplomatic relations with 194 independent nations. Of these, none is more important to America than Mexico in terms of trade, investment, tourism, natural resources, migration, energy, and security. In recent years, narco-violence has afflicted Mexico with more than 50,000 drug-related murders since 2007 and some 26,000 men, women, and children missing. President Enrique Peña Nieto has tried to divert national attention from the bloodshed through reforms in energy, education, anti-hunger, health-care, and other areas. Even though the death rate has declined since the chief executive took office on December 1, 2012, other crimes continue to plague his nation. Members of the business community report continual extortion demands; the national oil company PEMEX suffers widespread theft of oil, gas, explosives, and solvents (with which to prepare methamphetamines); hundreds of Central American migrants have shown up in mass graves; and the public identifies the police with corruption and villainy. Washington policymakers, who overwhelmingly concentrate on Asia and the Mideast, would be well-advised to focus on the acute dangers that lie principally below the Rio Grande, but whose deadly avatars are spilling into our nation.
Notes: "April 2014."

Format not distributed to depository libraries.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 58-69).
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Branding; title: Diversification; title: Maximizing extortion and ransom payments; title: Gaining notoriety; title: Situational alliances; title: Esprit de corps; title: Success in recruiting and promoting new cadres; title: Discouraging desertions; title: Cost effectiveness; title: Female killers.