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Catherine Dieli

Professor Jamey Dunham

English 1201

May 26, 2019

The Influence of Mexican Cartels

As a citizen living in the United States, I feel like I could know more about our

neighboring country, Mexico. We hear in the news differing views about illegal immigration and

Mexican gangs in the U.S., but I feel like I am not getting the full history and news of how much

the Mexican Cartels are affecting us. I would like to dig deeper on the subject and I would like to

know what influence they have on me and those around me. I became interested in the subject

when I was watching a Joe Rogan Experience podcast featuring Ed Calderon, who worked as a

counter-narcotics officer and organized crime investigator in Tijuana, Mexico. It was interesting

to know his side of the story, which is not the typical U.S. narrative most citizens are receiving

from the mainstream media. As I research more on the subject, I would like to learn more about

their influence, how it has become as big as it has, and what we might do to stop it.

Before watching the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, I did not feel too much toward this

topic. But after hearing what Ed revealed, it made me feel upset that the U.S. citizens are not

being told the truth about our neighboring country. I think Mexican Cartels may have more

influence in our country than we think and I think it is something we need to know about. I

believe that they may have a huge impact on the economy in the southern parts of the U.S.

especially in San Diego which borders Tijuana. I know that the Mexican Cartels are smuggling

in drugs to the U.S. and also have a part in human trafficking.

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As I research more on the Mexican Cartel, I need to know more about the history of

Mexico and how the Mexican Cartel became a prominent power in their country. I am hoping to

learn how their influence became so big and when it began to expand into the U.S.. I think I will

be able to find the answers through historical books and also from sources that are from Mexico.