Mexico’s absence undermines Latin America’s fight against cartel violence

As Latin American countries unite to combat the growing threat of cartel violence, Mexico, despite being the epicenter of the issue, failed to appear at a crucial security summit. As the cartel’s influence spreads across the region, Mexico’s absence is a missed opportunity that could have serious consequences for the entire region.

Mexico’s diplomatic rejection comes at a crucial time

Latin America is in the grip of a crime wave unlike any we have ever seen. Cartels have branched out from their traditional focus on drug trafficking to illegal mining, human trafficking, extortion, and even street-level drug trafficking. No longer content with territorial control in isolated pockets, these criminal organizations have evolved into sophisticated, multinational operations with far-reaching tentacles. They now dominate the illicit economies of multiple Latin American countries, creating what can only be described as a transnational criminal empire.

Despite this, Mexico, the country that has long been the epicenter of cartel violence, was noticeably absent from the recent Latin American Security Summit in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The Inter-American Development Bank (BID) organized the summit to coordinate regional responses to the rise in organized crime. The absence of Mexico, whose cartels are the main drivers of the crisis, casts a shadow over the summit’s goals. The reason for this absence? A diplomatic row with Ecuador.

Mexico’s absence from the summit is not just a political faux pas; it is a serious miscalculation that could jeopardize the collective efforts of Latin American countries to combat the growing cartel threat. Organized crime knows no borders, and Mexican cartels have become the most powerful criminal entities in the region. By not participating in this crucial meeting, Mexico missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the fight against the cartels it spawned and continues to fight.

A regional crisis fueled by Mexican cartels

Mexico’s absence is particularly troubling, as the cartels are responsible for much of the violence and instability plaguing the region. What began as a domestic problem in Mexico has now spread across Latin America, with Mexican cartels expanding their operations into Central and South America. These cartels control everything from drug trafficking routes to illegal mining and human trafficking networks, and their influence can be felt from Guatemala to Colombia and beyond.

Countries like Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have been hit hardest by this spreading violence. In these countries, Mexican cartels have become the dominant criminal organizations, operating with impunity in regions where state control is weak. As a result, violence has increased, leaving local governments scrambling to restore order. Without Mexico’s leadership in a regional security framework, efforts to contain cartel violence will be fragmented and far less practical.

Take Ecuador, for example. In recent years, the country has seen an alarming increase in violence directly linked to Mexican cartel activity. Once considered one of the safer countries in Latin America, Ecuador is now struggling with record-high murder rates and widespread violence. Guayaquil, the city where the security summit was held, has become the epicenter of this violence, with daily reports of cartel-related killings, kidnappings, and extortion.

Ecuador’s leaders have declared a state of emergency several times to regain control, but they know they cannot fight this war alone. The summit was their call for help: a chance for Latin American countries to unite against a common enemy. But the main player in this fight, Mexico, chose not to participate, leaving a gaping hole in regional strategy.

A missed opportunity for collective action

The Guayaquil Security Summit was not just another diplomatic meeting. It was a crucial moment for Latin American countries to pool their resources and develop a coordinated response to organized crime. Proposals on the table included the creation of a security alliance that would allow countries to share intelligence, mobilize resources, and implement joint strategies to combat cartels. Notably, the summit also focused on cutting off the financial flows that fuel these criminal enterprises, a crucial step in dismantling their power.

But without Mexico’s participation, the summit’s impact is severely diminished. Mexican cartels are the largest and most powerful criminal organizations in the region. Any plan to combat organized crime in Latin America that does not include Mexico is incomplete and unlikely to succeed. Mexico’s absence sends a troubling message: that it is not fully committed to the regional fight against organized crime, even though cartels are at the heart of the problem.

The costs of fighting organized crime are enormous. Latin American countries are estimated to spend 3.5% of their GDP on efforts to combat cartels and gangs. These funds could be used to improve education, health care, and infrastructure, but they are diverted to address the growing threat of organized crime. Countries like Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru are bearing the brunt of these costs and urgently need Mexico’s involvement to spread the burden.

A dangerous distraction

So why was Mexico absent from such a critical meeting? The answer lies in a diplomatic dispute between Mexico and Ecuador that has soured relations between the two countries. Mexico has severed ties with the Ecuadorian government over unrelated political issues, and this rift appears to have prevented Mexico from attending the summit. But this is more than just petty politics — it is a dangerous distraction that could seriously affect the entire region.

By allowing a diplomatic conflict to prevent participation in the security summit, Mexico is jeopardizing the entire region’s efforts to combat organized crime. The stakes are too high for countries to let political differences get in the way of collective action. The cartels are not waiting for Latin American countries to resolve their differences. They continue to expand, consolidate power, and exploit the lack of coordinated action to strengthen their regional hold.

Mexico’s failure to show up is particularly egregious, as it is the country most responsible for the rise of cartel violence in Latin America. The cartels are the driving force behind much of the violence and instability in the region, and Mexico has a responsibility to lead the fight against them. By choosing to sit out the summit, Mexico has not only abdicated that responsibility, but also undermined the efforts of its neighbors to address the crisis.

Latin America’s Inability to Work Together

Mexico’s absence from the Guayaquil summit underscores a broader problem facing Latin America: the region’s inability to work together to solve everyday challenges. In recent years, Latin American countries have dismantled regional organizations that were created to address shared problems such as poverty, inequality and violence. Ideological differences, political egos and intolerance have torn apart the alliances that once held the region together.

This fragmentation has had disastrous consequences. Latin American countries are now more divided than ever, and their inability to coordinate efforts against organized crime is becoming their greatest failure. The rise of cartels is not limited to one country: these criminal organizations operate across borders, and what happens today in Mexico could quickly spread to Colombia, Peru, or Brazil. Instead of working together, Latin American countries are pursuing their own, often conflicting, strategies to combat the cartels.

If Latin America is to have any hope of defeating organized crime, it must unite as a region. Countries must put aside their political differences and work as a team to confront the growing threat of cartels. Mexico, as the country most affected by cartel violence, should lead this effort, not stand on the sidelines.

In just a few years, Latin American countries have dismantled the regional organizations that once enabled them to address common problems. Had they maintained these alliances, the region would now be in a much stronger position to fight the cartels. Instead, political infighting and petty disagreements have left Latin America vulnerable to the rising tide of violence.

Also read: Five key elements of Mexico’s controversial judicial reform proposal

It is time for Mexico and the rest of Latin America to recognize that the fight against organized crime cannot be won by one country alone. Only through cooperation, coordination, and collective action can the region hope to turn the tide against the cartels. The Guayaquil summit was a step in the right direction, but without Mexico’s participation it is incomplete. The future of Latin America depends on its ability to work together, and time is running out.