The Mafia State: Criminal Governance in Sinaloa, Mexico, in 2006-2016

Organised crime has often adopted mixed characteristics, often shifting away from its central economic identity and evolving into a social and political actor. Mexican drug-trafficking organisations are one such manifestation of this mixed character, increasingly so since the 2006 militarisation of the War on Drugs during the Calderón administration. During the first 10 years, Mexico faced a sharp increase in violence and the pervasive influence of organised crime in politics, sparking debates of whether it has become a “narco-state” or a “mafia state.” This paper demonstrates that this development of the War marks an increasingly political nature of the Sinaloa Cartel in a two-level conflict against the federal government and other drug-trafficking organisations vying for power and influence. The research highlights that the political nature of drug-trafficking has been present in Mexico since the early 20th century but returned to strengthen and reinforce economic power derived from criminal activities. This historical political nature is only possible with the presence of a weak state, allowing for a crime-governance nexus to develop and embed the illicit drug trade in Mexican society, thereby further strengthening and legitimising the political character of the Sinaloa Cartel. Tackling drug-trafficking will remain at the top of the political and security agenda for the foreseeable future. However, understanding the political dynamics and interactions between organized criminal groups and the government will be crucial to comprehending the ongoing development of the War on Drugs.