The Mexican Drug War began in December 2006 when President Felipe Calderón deployed the Mexican military to combat drug cartels, primarily in the states of Michoacán and Tamaulipas. The conflict, which has continued under subsequent administrations, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, widespread violence, and a humanitarian crisis, making it one of the most devastating consequences of the global drug trade.

The Mexican Drug War has become a defining subject of 21st-century Latin American literature, inspiring a wave of 'narcoliterature' that includes poetry, novels, and chronicles. Poets like Javier Sicilia, whose son was killed in the violence, have used their work to protest the bloodshed and demand justice, while novelists like Roberto Bolaño have chronicled the cartels' descent into barbarism.