Drug Lord:
The Life and Death of a Mexican Kingpin

A True Story

Terrence E. Poppa (Demand Publications, 1998)

What does immigration have to do with the unsavory drug world? The answer is a porous border on which both rely. Terrence Poppa has written a riveting biography of Pablo Acosta, a major Mexican drug trafficker who controlled the 250 miles along the Rio Grande. The author is an investigative reporter who risked his life to interview Acosta and other drug figures to tell this story. This updated edition includes much information about Amado Carillo Fuentes, “Lord of the Skies,” mentored by Acosta. The reader is taken inside the shadowy drug empire with its danger, violence and treachery, as well as an amazing amount of money. Airplanes, trucks and four-wheeled vehicles are routinely stolen on the U.S. side of the border and used to transport drugs. It is also a world of political payoffs.

Payoffs begin at the local level, the “Plaza,” with cooperating army and local police, and continue on up to the highest levels of government. The favored drug lord relies on the military and police to keep out the competition. They participate in the the torture, murder and deceit. When a drug lord becomes out of favor, he is eliminated in favor of a rival, as was Pablo Acosta. Even though Washington has often been informed about the involvement of high-level government and army officials, it chooses to ignore much of it. There are dedicated Customs and Immigration and Naturalization (INS) agents who are trying to stem the flow.

This is a shocking tale of life on the U.S.-Mexican border. The author concludes that this corruption will not change until Mexico changes, and Mexico is changing slowly. He warns that the U.S. should not be training Mexican forces: rather we should be pressuring Mexico City for freer elections and an end to the power of the current ruling party.

— by Carol Joyal