Zero Zero Zero - Literary Essay Example

"The mystification/demystification of El Chapo and the cartel leaders"

The novel Zero Zero Zero by the author Saviano addresses the drug business which is orchestrated by cartels. The author delves into the intricate nature of cartel organizations that involve criminal activities and bribery in connection with military and government officials. The cartels like the Sinaloa, Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas, Juarez Cartel, Tijuana Cartel, La Familia and the Knights Templar cartel are criminal organizations which are headed by leaders like El Chapo. The cartels are established and operate in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Italy, and Russia and run their criminal activities through intimidation, bribery, violence, and impunity. The cartels are well organized that the writer equates the Sinaloa cartel to "a multinational corporation."

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According to the author, the birth of the cartels was as a result of the convention of all the drug lords by the famous godfather, El Padrino. The cartel leaders are men of varying characters who go by numerous aliases like `Shorty,' 'little Jap,' 'Friend Killer,' 'the Craziest One' and 'the Monkey `. From El Chapo who is quiet and reserved for cartel leaders like Barbie who are extravagant and love to show off. The drug world is a parallel state on its own with the cartel leaders raking in billions, the author claims, "There are two kinds of wealthy people: those who count their money and those who weigh it. If you don't belong to the latter category, you don't know what power is."

El Chapo was born and raised in Sinaloa, and his entire family depended on opium cultivation. He was raised on farm work and beatings. He moved up the cartel chain by having a strategy of eliminating mistakes which always proved effective for him. He was a quiet man and never surrounded himself with many women as was the case with other drug lords. He had many aliases which include shorty for his diminutive stature, El Chapo, and El Rapido. He used violence, intimidation, and bribery to ensure that his drug shipments were intercepted by security officials to their final distribution and destination into the united states.

The author addresses the rise of the Sinaloa cartel under the leadership of El Chapo after the arrest of its leader El Padrino where he methodologically assumed the reigns of command of the Sinaloa Cartel without a struggle or show of power. El Chapo was seen as a man who strategized and did not make rash decisions even when he was attacked by rival cartels.

"How acts of violence have become means of expression in the Drug War."

The author addresses how gruesome acts of violence perpetrated by cartels. The violence is meted against rival cartel leaders, security officials and even cartel members who betray their loyalty to the cartel. Violence is the means of expression in the drug war as rival cartels fight each other to expand and protect their turfs and as the security forces try to abate this illicit trade leading to numerous deaths. Violence gives the various cartel organizations relevance.Violence is used to intimidate rivals, security officials and all those who are seen to be fighting the cartels. According to the author gunfights always ensue among drug traffickers and security forces in the fight against drug trafficking with armed cartel members.The Los Zetas cartel in Mexico is best known for its gruesome, violent actions in Mexico and was an armed wing of the major Gulf cartel which separated to become a cartel. It is a product of Mexico's Special Forces formed by the GAFE. Violence is seen as necessary in the illicit drug trade. The author writes "There's no end to Los Zetas' brutality," the author further postulates that illicit drug trafficking and distribution only results in more money and violence. "All I see is blood and money."

Drug-related wars have resulted in many deaths. The numbers between 2006 and 2012 are estimated at over 136000 by Amnesty international. "Numbers and figures," writes the author. It is estimated that 70,000 people died between 2006 and 2012 in drug-related wars. Amnesty International was putting its estimate at 136,000 according to the author. The violence is so prevalent that it lives areas where drug wars take place look like war zones. The author states that "Cadavers swing from city bridges in broad daylight, for children to see; bodies are decapitated and hacked to pieces, then abandoned on the side of the road. Cities have become war zones."

Works cited

Saviano, Roberto, and Jan van der Haar. Zero Zero Zero. De Bezige Bij, 2013.