Votes, Drugs, and Violence: The Political Logic of Criminal Wars in Mexico

Speakers: Sandra Ley, Assistant Professor of Political Studies, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE); Guillermo Trejo, Professor of Political Science, University of Notre Dame Discussant: Kaitlyn Chriswell, PhD Candidate in Government, Harvard University Moderated by: Alisha Holland, Associate Professor of Government, Harvard University One of the most surprising developments in Mexico’s transition to democracy was the outbreak of criminal wars and large-scale criminal violence. Why did Mexican drug cartels go to war as the country transitioned away from one-party rule? Guillermo Trejo and Sandra Ley will present the answers that they develop in their new book Votes, Drugs, and Violence. Presented in collaboration with Weatherhead Center for International Affairs