Oswaldo Zavala Says Drug Cartels Are a Constructed Narrative

Mexican researcher and City University of New York professor Oswaldo Zavala argues that the concept of drug cartels is a narrative created by Washington and its agencies rather than an objective sociological reality. In his 2026 book *Los carteles no existen*, he contends that the language of “cartels” legitimizes the militarized anti‑narcotics strategies that have fueled violence across Latin America.

Zavala does not deny the existence of drug trafficking or the presence of violent criminals. He points to high‑profile figures such as Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, saying they have been mythologized by the same narrative that justifies extensive U.S. enforcement actions and state‑sponsored violence in Mexico and other countries.