Narcos Television and Trump’s Politics of Fear

This study investigates the ways in which the Netflix Narcos television series reinforces negative images of Latinos as dangerous drug dealers who threaten the safety and sanctity of U.S. citizens. It also explores how it both reflects and supports President Trump’s politics of fear that not only got him elected, but has broadened and strengthened his support from conservatives since. An in-depth exploration of selected scenes from episodes of three Netflix series: Narcos, Narcos: Mexico, and El Chapo offers evidence of why such programs have become so popular for American viewers and continue to propagate Donald Trump’s political pulpit of fear of illegal immigrants coming across the border to destroy conservative white America’s way of life. Based on the analysis of these three series, it becomes clear that their popularity can perhaps be traced to Donald Trump’s unexpected 2016 presidential win and his manipulative, and so far effective, use of politics of fear. In this context, the Netflix series mocks US law and journalism, which supports Trump’s political agenda even further.