Astonishing Costs of Fighting Mexico's Drug Cartels Have Not Reduced Violence Dolia Estevez - Forbes
go to original June 20, 2014

Read the Global Peace Index 2014 report (PDF)

Mexico’s efforts to reduce the alarming levels of violence are having a significant impact on the country’s economy. In 2013, the cost to Mexico of fighting the powerful drug cartels rose to almost $172.7 billion (more than twice Mexico’s foreign debt), according to the Global Peace Index 2014, published this week by the London-based Institute for Economic & Peace (IEP).

The sum, which is almost one tenth (9.4%) of Mexico’s GNP, amounts to $1,430 per person. Mexico’s violence containment costs are not only monetarily much higher than those incurred by Syria, Iraq and Libya, but among the highest in the world. Mexico ranks 25th in this category among 162 nations. The global economic impact of violence is estimated at $9.8 trillion or 11.3% of the global GDP.

This year’s Mexico’s peacekeeping price tag is believed to be the highest ever. To put things in perspective, $172.7 billion is significantly more than twice Mexico’s foreign debt of $73.5 billion, according to data from Mexico’s Ministry of Finance. Yet violence and homicides have not diminished significantly, due in large part, as the report points out, to the country’s endemic corruption and institutional weakness.

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