How The U.S. Turns A Blind Eye To Mexico's Drug War

Mexico's drug war has claimed hundreds of thousands of victims over the years, but the question remains as to whether the United States has done enough to help. The answer is no, according to filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz, who says the United States turns a blind eye to its southern neighbor.

Ruiz, the writer and director of the new documentary "Kingdom of Shadows," told HuffPost Live's Alyona Minkovski on Monday that the United States has both a "silence" and "willful blindness" when it comes to Mexico. He explained:

The border and Mexico have long been a kind of punching bag for the United States. Certainly as we gear up for this campaign season, Mexico and Mexicans are demeaned. Brown life is certainly devalued, and I don't think we are having a serious conversation about the responsibility U.S consumers, arms manufactures and drug policy in general are playing in how civil society in Mexico is being impacted. Clearly we need a more sophisticated conversation.

Watch Ruiz discuss relations between the U.S. and Mexico above, and click here for the full HuffPost Live conversation with the director.

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