Cartel Violence Erupts In Mexico After Drug Lord’s Killing; Americans Told To Shelter In Place
The U.S. State Department urged Americans in parts of Mexico to continue to shelter in place Monday — a day after the Mexican military killed the leader of one of the country’s most powerful drug cartels.
The U.S. helped provide intelligence ahead of the operation, as part of the Trump administration’s demand that the Mexican government crack down on drug-trafficking cartels.
WHO: Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed Sunday. The former police officer turned drug lord helped traffic cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the U.S.
The U.S. government previously had a $15 million reward for information leading to El Mencho’s arrest.
El Mencho was wounded during a shoot-out as the Mexican military attempted to capture him. He later died while being flown to Mexico City. Eight other cartel members were also killed in the operation.
In response to the boss’s killing, cartel members burned vehicles, hijacked cargo trucks, and blocked roads. Taxis and public transportation were paralyzed in areas including Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara — popular American tourist destinations. Several U.S. airlines suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta due to the violence. The cartel was looking to embarrass and create chaos for the Mexican government in response to the killing.
U.S. PRESSURES MEXICO
Key to Trump’s second-term agenda is cracking down on cartels and drug trafficking. There are more than 75,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. each year, and the majority of drugs in the U.S. come through Mexico. Trump has recently increased pressure on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene.
A recent New York Times analysis framed Sheinbaum as walking a tightrope — trying to prevent cartel violence from spiraling, while also avoiding a scenario in which Washington pushes for direct action on Mexican soil.
CHANGE IN STRATEGY: Sheinbaum is breaking from her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), in her approach to the cartels.
AMLO’s “hugs not bullets” strategy failed at meaningfully reducing violence. Now, Sheinbaum is moving toward more direct military operations.
BY THE NUMBERS: Mexico has recorded about 30,000 homicides annually since 2018, at a rate of about 25 homicides per 100,000 residents, one of the highest in the world. By contrast, the U.S. homicide rate is 6.8 per 100,000 people.
Sheinbaum said “peace, security and normalcy” are being maintained across Mexico on Monday, but so far the violence has led to nearly 75 deaths, including one pregnant woman caught in the crossfire. Travelers report being stranded in hotels as major airlines cancelled flights from Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara in the wake of the violence.