ABSTRACT
This chapter is divided into three main sections. Focusing on Mexico's increasing levels of violence and the role of criminal organizations, the first section explores the origins and modern phase of the war on drugs. It draws on statistical evidence from the LAPOP survey to analyze how these factors affect the public's policy preferences. The Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) also had an intricate relationship with organized crime, particularly with drug trafficking groups. The PRI also had an intricate relationship with organized crime, particularly with drug trafficking groups. The descriptive statistics reveal that Mexicans feel unsafe and are willing to take drastic measures. Drug trafficking, organized crime, and its connected violence will continue in Mexico if the government does not implement reforms to public institutions and attack the high levels of corruption and impunity.
