The violence in the Mexico drug war has been escalating this year and particularly in recent months. Mexican drug cartels are fighting it out among themselves and against police and government troops, civilians in the firing line. Mexican president Calderón is putting blame on the USA, as it is the US demand for drugs that is fueling the organized crime. The violence is made worse by US firearms coming across the border.

Looking at transits to the horoscope for Mexico shows very clearly why the violence has escalated recently. I’m using the chart for the current constitution of Mexico, 31 January 1917 at 4:00 pm [1].

Pluto is god of the underworld and in mundane astrology he rules the underworld. The organized crime gangs, corruption and big time enterprise, all the dark and sinister stuff. For all of 2010, Transiting Pluto has been opposite the Mexico Pluto. This nation is experiencing it’s Pluto opposition, in Mexico we are seeing the destructive nature of Pluto play out. It’s an intense battle between large organisation, ruthless, power hungry, and it’s effecting the masses.

Using precession correction of 78 minutes, the Pluto oppositions are 20 January, 30 June and 23 November 2010. The drug war in Mexico has intensified this year, a striking manifestation of this Pluto opposition. Other nations experience this Pluto opposition without such intense drama and bloodshed. Things have been made worse for Mexico because of the eclipses in the middle of the year.

The June 2010 Lunar Eclipse was conjunct Pluto, so opposite the Mexico Pluto (47′). That put the focus on the underworld drug cartels for the rest of 2010. The government need a solutions, they have upped the ante with more troops. Pluto also rules massacres, and these have been in the news more and more recently.

The July 2010 Solar Eclipse was conjunct the Mexico Ascendant (11′), bang. Not only is the focus on the underworld so strongly from transiting Pluto and the lunar eclipse, now the whole nation and it’s self image is on the line. The nation has an image problem. It’s a war zone and the violence escalating and spreading, getting closer to the capital.

That combination of Pluto and consecutive eclipses has set the stage for a showdown in the Mexico drug war in the last half of 2010. The citizens of Mexico and their government are doing what they can, but everyone knows the real problem is the American demand for drugs. I don’t condone drug use at all, but if I lived in California I’d sure be voting yes for Proposition 19. Anything that helps reduce the power of the drug cartels and stops the massacres has to be a good thing.

The forecast does look promising for Mexico. New eclipses starting the end of this year will take the spotlight off the drug wars, Pluto will move on and hopefully so will Mexico.

1. The Book of World Horoscopes, Nicholas Campion, 2004, p.254.