Over the past two decades, violence has spread across Mexico, intensifying in waves as organized crime, weak institutions, and militarized security policies intersected, reshaping everyday life and leaving communities exposed to insecurity and fear. This escalation was particularly marked during the presidency of Felipe Calderón, whose so-called “war on drugs” deployed the military nationwide and set the stage for the violence and institutional fragility explored in this text. This article is the first in a series exploring Mexico’s struggles with narco violence, insecurity, and the human impact of organized crime, from articles, personal experiences and the families searching for the…