The leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel had spent decades evading justice. He was brought down in an operation in the mountains of Jalisco that has sparked a violent reaction in various states across the country
Yes. A lot of these cartel leaders are heavily tied with the US/CIA and right-wing parties, I can’t imagine the US being happy with this lol. I still wish that the goverment focused more on social programs and education, the two things that actually stop the cartels from just recruiting new people.
Cartels and mafiosos are immoral criminals who would “work” with anyone in an unprincipled fashion, anyone who thinks they just have sympathies for “the left” is missing the big picture. They don’t really care about the ideology, they care about power, access to sell their product, and control. If that involves working with the CIA, they’ll work with the CIA. If the CIA starts turning against them , they’ll turn against the CIA. If it involves working with corrupt state officials, the cartel will work with them. If the state turns against the cartels, they’ll turn against the state and start killing members of the Mexican military (which is already happening). Criminal non state organisations like the cartels are inherently unprincipled and opportunistic in matters like this.
They have a fundamentally comprador character too, because the CIA/state department/special operations cohort uses them for plausible deniability and to launder money. You could say the function of the so-called “war on drugs” and this new focus on “narco-terrorism” only exist to create cartels and mafiosos, who can then be used to further imperial ambitions.
They don’t really care about the ideology, they care about power, access to sell their product, and control. If that involves working with the CIA, they’ll work with the CIA. If the CIA starts turning against them , they’ll turn against the CIA.
Manuel Noriega was just like that, he changed sides many times during the Cold War, only for the US to cut all ties and invade Panama under some vague cause of reestablishing democracy.
I think the US actually probably pressured the Mexican government to take action here, Trump’s administration has a very different policy to cartels (non state armed actors in CIA language) than previous presidents. Mexico’s government has also been afraid to take heavy handed action against the cartels like this because of the cycle of violence it unleashes with innocent civilians caught in the crossfire (which we are seeing now, it’s a very valid fear given how powerful the cartels have gotten). I don’t doubt that the CIA did drug and gun running in the past involving the cartels, but a “decapitation” operation like this against a cartel leader suggests US co-operation, intelligence sharing, etc.
I think the US actually probably pressured the Mexican government to take action here, Trump’s administration has a very different policy to cartels (non state armed actors in CIA language) than previous presidents.
I think Trump is a lot like Bush with Calderón (who fucked up the entire situation during the 2000s), but like 200% more aggressive.
Mexico’s government has also been afraid to take heavy handed action against the cartels like this because of the cycle of violence it unleashes with innocent civilians caught in the crossfire (which we are seeing now, it’s a very valid fear given how powerful the cartels have gotten).
Yes.
I don’t doubt that the CIA did drug and gun running in the past involving the cartels, but a “decapitation” operation like this against a cartel leader suggests US co-operation, intelligence sharing, etc.
The DEA and FBI have been “cooperating” and sharing information with Latin American police and military forces since at least the late 1980s. It is usually the CIA that has deep ties to the cartels and helps them organize with weapons and information (of course, there are DEA and FBI agents who also work with the cartels, but this is usually less noticeable than in the case of the CIA). I believe that the United States probably provided the Mexican government with the information and the “blessing” to kill this cartel leader (also as a show of force by the United States to show that they “still control” Mexico, and how much Trump is “against” drugs).
Yes. A lot of these cartel leaders are heavily tied with the US/CIA and right-wing parties, I can’t imagine the US being happy with this lol. I still wish that the goverment focused more on social programs and education, the two things that actually stop the cartels from just recruiting new people.
It’s so annoying too, because latam chuds claim cartels only work with the leftist parties. It makes me lose my fucking mind
Cartels and mafiosos are immoral criminals who would “work” with anyone in an unprincipled fashion, anyone who thinks they just have sympathies for “the left” is missing the big picture. They don’t really care about the ideology, they care about power, access to sell their product, and control. If that involves working with the CIA, they’ll work with the CIA. If the CIA starts turning against them , they’ll turn against the CIA. If it involves working with corrupt state officials, the cartel will work with them. If the state turns against the cartels, they’ll turn against the state and start killing members of the Mexican military (which is already happening). Criminal non state organisations like the cartels are inherently unprincipled and opportunistic in matters like this.
They have a fundamentally comprador character too, because the CIA/state department/special operations cohort uses them for plausible deniability and to launder money. You could say the function of the so-called “war on drugs” and this new focus on “narco-terrorism” only exist to create cartels and mafiosos, who can then be used to further imperial ambitions.
Manuel Noriega was just like that, he changed sides many times during the Cold War, only for the US to cut all ties and invade Panama under some vague cause of reestablishing democracy.
I think the US actually probably pressured the Mexican government to take action here, Trump’s administration has a very different policy to cartels (non state armed actors in CIA language) than previous presidents. Mexico’s government has also been afraid to take heavy handed action against the cartels like this because of the cycle of violence it unleashes with innocent civilians caught in the crossfire (which we are seeing now, it’s a very valid fear given how powerful the cartels have gotten). I don’t doubt that the CIA did drug and gun running in the past involving the cartels, but a “decapitation” operation like this against a cartel leader suggests US co-operation, intelligence sharing, etc.
I think Trump is a lot like Bush with Calderón (who fucked up the entire situation during the 2000s), but like 200% more aggressive.
Yes.
The DEA and FBI have been “cooperating” and sharing information with Latin American police and military forces since at least the late 1980s. It is usually the CIA that has deep ties to the cartels and helps them organize with weapons and information (of course, there are DEA and FBI agents who also work with the cartels, but this is usually less noticeable than in the case of the CIA). I believe that the United States probably provided the Mexican government with the information and the “blessing” to kill this cartel leader (also as a show of force by the United States to show that they “still control” Mexico, and how much Trump is “against” drugs).
They’re claiming this too
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/new-us-military-led-group-aided-mexicos-hunt-el-mencho-cartel-boss-2026-02-22/