Grayson to lecture on drug cartels

Grayson and Calderon The Class of 1938 Professor of Government travels to Mexico and meets Mexican officials regularly in the course of his research. He is pictured here (left) with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in a 2006 meeting in Washington, DC. Photo courtesy of George Grayson.

by Suzanne Seurattan | July 17, 2012

George W. Grayson, Class of 1938 Government Professor Emeritus, will lecture on Mexico’s Los Zetas drug cartel July 19, 7:30 p.m. at the Williamsburg Library. He is the co-author of “The Executioner’s Men,” a book about the cartel. Following the lecture, Grayson will sign copies of the book. The event is free and open to the public.

The author just returned from Mexico where he observed the country’s presidential elections earlier this month. Mexico’s drug cartels, and the violence that accompanies them, were issues in the campaign. Grayson, whose research and scholarship focuses on Latin American politics with a particular interest in Mexico, has written more than 20 books and monographs on international affairs, made 125 research trips to Latin America, and lectures regularly at the U.S. Department of State. He also writes a regular column for "Milenio Semanal," a weekly magazine in Mexico.

Grayson is also the author of “Mexican Messiah: Andrés Manuel López Obrador.” Obrador was also a candidate in the 2012 election.