Drug cartels, violence and electoral competitiveness at the local level: Evidence from the Mexican case

This article explains the effects of violence, particularly the type of violence related to the functioning of drug cartels, and its effects on electoral competitiveness at the local level (municipal). It is relevant to understand and estimate these effects to ensure that democracy, which relies on its fundamental requisite (free and fair elections), does not deteriorate or move toward an authoritarian status quo at the local level. My results show a decline in electoral competitiveness as the scope of violence related to the functioning of drug cartels increases. The repressive strategies of the Mexican government do not seem to have been effective to prevent this effect.