[zeryx]

What do you expect the average Mexican to do about that? The Cartels have substantially more power than the state.

I think it's great that they're reclaiming some power by relearning their ancient languages that were nearly destroyed by their colonizers

[speakfreely]

> The Cartels have substantially more power than the state.

This is a common misconception. The state can absolutely dominate any cartel in Mexico, they just choose not to for political reasons.

> relearning their ancient languages that were nearly destroyed by their colonizers

Nahuatl is actually a colonizer language. The Aztecs brutally subjugated other native peoples, so brutally in fact that those groups were extremely eager to ally with the Spanish to overthrow the Aztec empire.

[ty6853]

Mexicans could start with liberalizing their gun laws since all the bad guys already have them. Zapatistas and other local resistance groups aren't afraid to fight them when they have weapons, and some of the communities that actually have gotten their hands on guns have managed to make it more trouble than it's worth for the cartels.

[WillAdams]

Well, there are stories such as this:

https://www.borderlandbeat.com/2010/11/mexican-marines-recon...

[BirAdam]

Well, the cartels have more power as you get away from the Valley of Mexico. Much of the power distribution in Mexico is related to geography afaik. When terrain is difficult to cross, enforcing a monopoly on power is difficult. For another example of this problem, see Afghanistan.

[johnisgood]

What kind of power are you speaking of? "Cultural power" or something? Does it mean much in practice in this context? I fail to see what its reclaim would achieve against fighting cartels.

[harimau777]

Human beings are highly irrational. Increases in cultural power often gives them a sense of greater empowerment that causes them to take increases in political power. That's why dictatorships seek to suppress and control cultural practices that could lead to empowerment such as martial arts, religion, meditation, language, art, gender nonconformance, etc.

[johnisgood]

I don't disagree, and I see how that would go about, but does it have any immediate effects? Is it not more of a long-term thing?