ABSTRACT
Since 1969, the governments of Mexico and the United States have experienced several instances of conflict related to drug trafficking. These conflicts did not, however, directly influence the volume of drugs produced for, or transported to, the United States from Mexico, as some might suspect. 1 In fact, these conflicts took place at moments when the trafficking of drugs to the United States was not particularly high. 2 What are the reasons? Why, in light of the specific efforts of the governments of both Mexico and the United States to reduce the likelihood of conflict resulting from drug trafficking during the decade of the 1990s—such as the High Level Contact group—did these conflicts continue to contaminate the bilateral agenda? From this perspective, what are the mechanisms these countries can use so that the drug trafficking conflicts do not worsen the image of Mexico in the United States and complicate the bilateral rapprochement in other areas of trade? How much do these conflicts owe to the political willpower of both governments? What is the relation with other variables, such as the production and transit of drugs, the war against drugs, corruption, internal legitimacy, or the electoral landscape in Mexico and the United States?
