Mexican Officials Want to Rebrand Cartel Members as Terrorists

Reported by: Will Ripley
Last Update: 11:11 am

Mexican lawmakers are fighting a war against the cartels and against public opinion.

Fred Burton, vice president of the Global Intelligence company Stratfor, wrote an article claiming Mexico is trying to rebrand the cartel wars. Some Mexican lawmakers want to label crimes committed by the drug cartels as acts of terrorism.

Burton says by labeling cartel crimes as domestic terrorism, it would allow Mexican authorities to hand out harsher prison sentences.

The violence is so intense some citizens blame the Mexican government. Burton thinks by labeling cartel members as terrorists, Mexico could try to win back public support. He says they may have a harder time actually prosecuting kingpins for terrorism.

"The corruption aspect, the degree of influence that the cartel bosses have over the judicial system, the police, the elected officials in many ways place them in positions where they're untouchable," says Burton.

A prison break two weeks ago in Nuevo Laredo proves even if cartel members are thrown in jail, there is no guarantee they'll stay there.

Just before that prison break, Mexican lawmakers approved a change in the law allowing 10- to 50-year sentences for terrorist acts. There was no word on if they will actually implement these reforms.

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