Part 7/15:
She points out that cultural products like narco music and glamorization of the narco lifestyle perpetuate this misconception, sometimes leading to a dangerous glorification that attracts impressionable youth. Vargas highlights that media portrayals—like the Netflix series Narcos—often romanticize cartel figures, obscuring the real violence and societal harm involved.
Furthermore, the infiltration is strategic, involving money laundering, arms trafficking, and human smuggling across North America. Ignoring this reality allows the cartels to operate seamlessly, reinforcing the need for comprehensive, transnational approaches to dismantle their networks.