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Home > Open Access Journals > JSS > Vol. 19 > No. 3 (2026)

 

Author Biography

Dr. Jerjes Aguirre is a Research Professor at Universidad Michoacana in Mexico, with more than 25 years of academic experience. His expertise lies in international security, public policy, and transnational organized crime. His research emphasizes the intersections of narcotrafficking, migration, and governance challenges in Mexico, particularly informed by the complex realities of Michoacán, one of the country’s regions most affected by drug-related violence. Beyond his research, Dr. Aguirre has been instrumental in training new scholars, strengthening Mexico’s academic capacity in the critically important field of international security and organized crime studies.

Jorge Alejandro Vázquez Valdez holds bachelor’s degrees in literature and journalism, a master’s in philosophy and history of ideas, and a Ph.D. in development studies. He is currently a professor and researcher at the Academic Unit of Psychology, Autonomous University of Zacatecas. With 15 years of professional journalism experience, including roles as a reporter, editor, and magazine director, his research addresses drug trafficking, violence, insecurity, and development.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5038/1944.0472.19.3.2578

Subject Area Keywords

Democracy and democatization, Governance and rule of law, Mexico, Russia, Transnational crime

Abstract

This article argues that a potential US military intervention in Mexico, predicated on securitizing cartels as terrorist threats, would replicate strategic failures seen in interventions like Russia’s in Ukraine. Through a comparative framework of three variables—securitization, underestimated nationalist resistance, and neglected co-responsibility—the analysis shows how external force applied to structural crises provokes nationalist backlash. In Mexico, any intervention would reactivate historical memory of US interference, triggering broad institutional and social resistance. The core security challenge is not the cartels but Mexico's institutional fragility: systemic impunity, subnational governance deficits, and weak checks and balances. Therefore, militarized approaches are counterproductive. As a viable alternative, the article proposes a strategic reorientation toward a "smart intervention" focused on strengthening the rule of law. This approach would support independent judicial institutions, systemic anti-corruption efforts, and autonomous civil society, addressing the governance roots of violence while respecting Mexican sovereignty and avoiding the predictable failures of interventionism.

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of their affiliated institutions. Any errors or omissions remain the sole responsibility of the authors.

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