El Narco: Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency
Nov 2011 · Bloomsbury Publishing USA
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54 reviews
Ebook
336
Pages
About this ebook
"Essential reading."-Steve Coll, NewYorker.com
A gripping, sobering account of how Mexican drug gangs have transformed into a criminal insurgency that threatens the nation's democracy and reaches across to the United States.
The world has watched, stunned, the bloodshed in Mexico. Forty thousand murdered since 2006; police chiefs shot within hours of taking office; mass graves comparable to those of civil wars; car bombs shattering storefronts; headless corpses heaped in town squares. And it is all because a few Americans are getting high. Or is it part of a worldwide shadow economy that threatens Mexico's democracy? The United States throws Black Hawk helicopters, DEA assistance, and lots of money at the problem. But in secret, Washington is at a loss. Who are these mysterious figures who threaten Mexico's democracy? What is El Narco?
El Narco is not a gang; it is a movement and an industry drawing in hundreds of thousands, from bullet-riddled barrios to marijuana-covered mountains. The conflict spawned by El Narco has given rise to paramilitary death squads battling from Guatemala to the Texas border (and sometimes beyond).
In this "propulsive ... high-octane" book (Publishers Weekly), Ioan Grillo draws the first definitive portrait of Mexico's cartels and how they have radically transformed.
A gripping, sobering account of how Mexican drug gangs have transformed into a criminal insurgency that threatens the nation's democracy and reaches across to the United States.
The world has watched, stunned, the bloodshed in Mexico. Forty thousand murdered since 2006; police chiefs shot within hours of taking office; mass graves comparable to those of civil wars; car bombs shattering storefronts; headless corpses heaped in town squares. And it is all because a few Americans are getting high. Or is it part of a worldwide shadow economy that threatens Mexico's democracy? The United States throws Black Hawk helicopters, DEA assistance, and lots of money at the problem. But in secret, Washington is at a loss. Who are these mysterious figures who threaten Mexico's democracy? What is El Narco?
El Narco is not a gang; it is a movement and an industry drawing in hundreds of thousands, from bullet-riddled barrios to marijuana-covered mountains. The conflict spawned by El Narco has given rise to paramilitary death squads battling from Guatemala to the Texas border (and sometimes beyond).
In this "propulsive ... high-octane" book (Publishers Weekly), Ioan Grillo draws the first definitive portrait of Mexico's cartels and how they have radically transformed.
"Essential reading."-Steve Coll, NewYorker.com
A gripping, sobering account of how Mexican drug gangs have transformed into a criminal insurgency that threatens the nation's democracy and reaches across to the United States.
The world has watched, stunned, the bloodshed in Mexico. Forty thousan...
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Ratings and reviews
54 reviews
A Google user
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January 29, 2012
Fascinating subject area that sorely needs good reporting. Unfortunately the book is marred by tabloid writing style, manufactured words (wastoid), misspellings, basic errors (Merida, southwestern Mexico!?) and general unevenness. The book sorely needs a good editor or perhaps even any editor. Despite that, the book is worth the effort for people who want to get an overview of the current Mexican iteration of the War on (some) Drugs.
Justin Elkins
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January 10, 2013
The cartels have fascinated me for some time and this book is quite in depth. It takes you through the gore and shows you the under belly, and history, of Mexican organized crime.
5 people found this review helpful
Jason DeLeon
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May 23, 2015
This book takes you on different types of journeys...whether it's about the beginning of El Narco or their diversification, the author gives you great insight into this crazy world. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about this insane lifestyle.
5 people found this review helpful
About the author
Ioan Grillo has reported on Latin America since 2001 for international media including TIME magazine, Reuters, CNN, the Associated Press, PBS NewsHour, the Houston Chronicle, CBC, and the Sunday Telegraph. His first book, El Narco: Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency, was translated into five languages and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. A native of England, Grillo lives in Mexico City.
Ioan Grillo has reported on Latin America since 2001 for international media including TIME magazine, Reuters, CNN, the Associated Press, PBS NewsHour, the Houston Chronicle, CBC, and the Sunday Telegraph. His first book, El Narco: Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency, was translated into five lan...
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