Is an International Treaty Needed to Fight Corruption and the Narco-Insurgency in Mexico?

Mexican government corruption prevents effective law enforcement against drug traffickers and the violence associated with drug trafficking. This article reviews the nature and scope of government corruption, including a first-hand account by a Mexican state police commander, then suggests how and why an international treaty establishing United Nation (UN) inspectors who are empowered to investigate corruption at all levels of government could be effective in deterring corruption and restoring the rule of law in the U.S.-Mexico border region. The article suggests that the Rome Statute provides a model for establishing this type of treaty and a precedent for all of the powers envisioned for UN inspectors, and suggests that government leaders may be compelled by their own citizens to sign and ratify such a treaty if it is posed as a public litmus test of their leaders' willingness to fight corruption.