Governance constitutes an important feature of organized crime. Across the world, millions of people live under criminal governance. In such cases, criminal organizations are involved in enforcing...Show moreGovernance constitutes an important feature of organized crime. Across the world, millions of people live under criminal governance. In such cases, criminal organizations are involved in enforcing rules and collecting taxes, providing security, as well as offering basic goods and services. This phenomenon primarily takes place in areas of weak state presence, where the government fails to satisfy the population's basic needs such as physical and social security. As of today, criminal governance remains particularly widespread throughout Latin America. Indeed, the region suffers from high levels of violence and public insecurity, which bear significant impacts on social, economic, and political life. The states of Mexico and Brazil, in particular, are home to some of the largest criminal organizations in the world. The latter include cartels and gang networks of various sizes and organizational structures. In turn, the same organizations have been involved in establishing localized governance practices in their respective countries. Despite being a well-researched concept in academia, criminal governance remains understudied in contexts of crisis. The states of Brazil and Mexico have been greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and its negative socioeconomic impacts. In addition, the said crisis profoundly altered the environment in which criminal organizations operate. Using a comparative case study methodology, this thesis, therefore, investigates the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on criminal governance practices from criminal groups in Mexico and Brazil. In doing so, it aims to form a better understanding of how criminal organizations adapted their governance activities to the health crisis.Show less
Cartels have undermined the Mexican government's legitimacy with corruption and excessive violence, while some violent acts committed by cartels breach the threshold of what constitutes a crime...Show moreCartels have undermined the Mexican government's legitimacy with corruption and excessive violence, while some violent acts committed by cartels breach the threshold of what constitutes a crime against humanity. Based on the given jurisdiction of the ICC on crimes against humanity, the effects of a potential ICC intervention in the Mexican conflict on the legitimacy of the present conflict actors are investigated. Changes in the dependent variable 'Legitimacy' based on the following five independent variables 'Conflict Narratives'; 'Individual Framing'; 'Warrant-Stigmatization'; 'Self-Referral'; 'Kingpin-Strategy' are highlighted. This paper conducted a single-country case study to gain in-depth insights into the conflict and to ensure that the generated results have high internal validity. Mixed findings do not give one conclusive answer whether an ICC intervention de- or increases the legitimacy of either conflict party. A Mexican self-referral shapes conflict narratives that represent state actors as good, while the prosecuted cartels are vilified, enabling the Mexican government to regain legitimacy. Another particular effect of an ICC intervention would be an increase in violence. Prosecuting high-ranking cartel members widens splits within cartels, opens power vacuums, and destabilizes the conflict, leading to more violence and ultimately undermining the state's legitimacy.Show less
