Narcotrafficking, migration, and modernity in rural Mexico

My case study is the arrival of narcotraffickers in the town of Mayapan. The information was obtained through informal conversations, prompted if the situation permitted.3 My research does not place narcotrafficking within the local political struggles as they are played out in party politics, although this is an increasing concern as the industry infiltrates both local and national politics (cf. Andreas, 1999; Mastretta, 1990), nor is it specifically focused on uncovering drug routes and illegal activity (cf. Hargreaves, 1992; Morales, 1989). Instead, I concentrate on the local context in which the narcotics industry has emerged. I then examine how different social actors perceive the narcotraffickers and describe how the cultural practices that are routinely associated with this group have come to represent many of the larger changes that local residents are confronting.4 In Michoacán's Tierra Caliente, narcotraffickers are an integral part of everyday life and figure in the worldview of all its social groups.5 While many object to the arrival of narcotrafficking, objections differ according to social position. The illegality of the process is the concern for some, mainly because of its link with the increasing presence of a militarized force in the area. The social changes that the narcotraffickers represent are what trouble others. The region has experienced many changes over the past 50 years. Many can no longer see a clear path to progress and modernity within the current economic climate. The narcotraffickers have come to symbolize many aspects of modernity that challenge older social relations, and as such they have become accepted by some groups looking for change. As they are seen as a new social group that is part of modernity, they become better able to recruit a stream of workers ready to take the risks that the drug trade involves.