No spoilers. The film 'Cartel Land' is a documentary whose title is I think a little misleading. The subject matter focuses exclusively on 2 civilian militias, the Arizona Border Recon in the US and the Autodefensas in Mexico. The film is essentially a running dialog with Tim Foley and Dr. Jose Mireles the individuals who formed the militias in their respective countries recorded over a period of a year or two. The filmmaker did not question or drive the conversation in any particular direction while on camera. The intent seemingly was to provide a platform for the individuals to share their stories and pitch their case in support of organized civilian militias to oppose the activities and threat of Mexican drug cartels in the face of government complacency. The filmmaker bounces back and forth between the US and Mexico with far more time spent in the latter.
It is interesting that the purpose and tactics of the militias are very different. The mission of the Arizona Border Recon is to stop anyone crossing illegally into the US, regardless of their purpose or nationality. Where as the Autodefensas were, at least initially, organized to directly engage the Knights Templar drug cartel's campaign of mass murder and random terror.
There are no interviews with government officials from either country. All footage is of the militias either on the US border searching for persons crossing into Arizona or all over southern Mexico in the streets battling the cartels. There are no interviews with members of any cartels excluding 5 minutes at the beginning and end of the film with a group of men cooking meth at night somewhere out in the desert. There are no statistics provided on anything, the filmmaker not trying to prove or dispute anything.
My impressions based on the film.
Civilian militia is not an effective tool to combat drug cartel activities on either side of the border.
If you embarrass the Mexican government too often or defy it publicly you'll end up in prison or dead.
Building a wall across the US/Mexico border is totally and utterly absurd.
End the war on drugs, put the cartels out of the drug business. In the US put the allocated funds into substance abuse and treatment programs instead of sustaining the prison industrial complex and the mass incarceration of minorities.
A film that I would highly recommend with subject matter regarding Mexican drug cartels and US efforts to combat them is an excellent fictional thriller 'Sicario'.
It is interesting that the purpose and tactics of the militias are very different. The mission of the Arizona Border Recon is to stop anyone crossing illegally into the US, regardless of their purpose or nationality. Where as the Autodefensas were, at least initially, organized to directly engage the Knights Templar drug cartel's campaign of mass murder and random terror.
There are no interviews with government officials from either country. All footage is of the militias either on the US border searching for persons crossing into Arizona or all over southern Mexico in the streets battling the cartels. There are no interviews with members of any cartels excluding 5 minutes at the beginning and end of the film with a group of men cooking meth at night somewhere out in the desert. There are no statistics provided on anything, the filmmaker not trying to prove or dispute anything.
My impressions based on the film.
Civilian militia is not an effective tool to combat drug cartel activities on either side of the border.
If you embarrass the Mexican government too often or defy it publicly you'll end up in prison or dead.
Building a wall across the US/Mexico border is totally and utterly absurd.
End the war on drugs, put the cartels out of the drug business. In the US put the allocated funds into substance abuse and treatment programs instead of sustaining the prison industrial complex and the mass incarceration of minorities.
A film that I would highly recommend with subject matter regarding Mexican drug cartels and US efforts to combat them is an excellent fictional thriller 'Sicario'.