The so-called Drug War has drastically altered life in Mexico. More than 40,000 people have died since President Felipe Calderon launched a military offensive in December 2006 against the country's powerful organized crime groups.
Free Speech Radio News aims to produce a half hour audio documentary to present the on-the-ground impacts of the Drug War in Mexico produced by Shannon Young, a reporter who has covered the issue from Mexico for years.
The military offensive marked a sea change from the tacit tolerance of decades past. Given the illicit nature of drug trafficking, it's impossible to accurately track its earnings, but a common estimate is that it generates around $30 billion in annual revenues, which would make drug trafficking one of Mexico's top-grossing industries.
Drug war-related killings have become increasingly brutal - and public. These killings are also targeting innocent civilians. Criminals have diversified their income through activities like extortion and kidnapping. The end result is a traumatic strain on Mexico's social fabric.
While many in the United States may be familiar with the news that comes out of Mexico, the climbing death tolls and reports of brutal attacks against civilians are rarely put into a historical perpective or a context that connects the dots to US domestic and foreign policy.
There are, however, movements to challenge the current strategy and contain some of the more harmful impacts. All will be explored in this radio documentary.
