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From drug trafficking to state capture: The dynamics of criminal governance, political violence, and crime diversification

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  • Roxana Gutiérrez-Romero

Abstract

This article develops and tests a theory of criminal governance, examining how drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) use bribery and violence to dominate resource-rich regions and counter state interventions. The study draws on data on over 500 political assassinations and 156 lethal attacks on politicians' relatives in Mexico since 2000. Using an instrumental variable approach, the causal effects of government actions on criminal strategies are identified. The findings reveal that DTOs use rent-seeking violence to influence the pool of political candidates in high-value areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Roxana Gutiérrez-Romero, 2025. "From drug trafficking to state capture: The dynamics of criminal governance, political violence, and crime diversification," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2025-19, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2025-19
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wooldridge, Jeffrey M., 1999. "Distribution-free estimation of some nonlinear panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 77-97, May.
    2. Balletta, Luigi & Lavezzi, Andrea Mario, 2023. "The economics of extortion: Theory and the case of the Sicilian Mafia," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 1109-1141.
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    Keywords

    Crime; Governance; Political violence; Instrumental variable; Law enforcement;
    All these keywords.

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