3. Terror and Fear: The Mexican Case

In this chapter, Meschoulam asks whether the situation in Mexico—where criminal violence has been escalating since 2006—can be compared to that of societies that come under frequent terrorist attacks. The crux of the debate Meschoulam raises in the chapter is whether or not events have occurred in the country that can be classed as terrorist or quasi-terrorist acts or whether they are merely terrorist tactics being employed by criminal organizations. The evolution of violence associated with such organizations in Mexico and the use of strategies that aim not only to commit but also to publicize this type of violence are addressed in the chapter. Peripheral to this debate are the psychosocial repercussions of organized crime suffered by the population, which tie this chapter in with the fourth.