The issue that most gets our readers’ attention is that of the cartels in Mexico. We consistently hear comments that Mexico will never realize its full potential until it gets the cartels under control. I would agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment. The cumulative drag that corruption, threats, extortion and violence have on the people of Mexico, as well as on economic growth, cannot be underestimated. The roughly 20,000-plus deaths annually in Mexico as a result of the cartels, in addition to the over 80,000 deaths annually from drug overdoses in the U.S., take a massive toll on families, friends, and communities.
I often hear comments from Americans that Claudia Sheinbaum should get out of the way and let the U.S. military handle the cartels. Those who make this argument seem able to easily overlook the troubles that the U.S. military had upon getting involved in other countries such as Colombia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Recent history has shown that one country “helping” another with its internal problems often doesn’t work very well.
Those that make this argument also seem to think that the U.S. will somehow quickly and easily be able to handle the supply side of the drug trade in Mexico despite the fact that there has been extremely limited success handling the demand side of the drug issue in the U.S. They also think that the best way to deal with the supply problem is by handling it on the Mexican side of the border (versus focusing on the supply chain within the U.S.). A final argument I hear from people is that Claudia is “afraid” of cartels and is unwilling and incapable of doing anything serious to stop them.
So let’s take stock of where we are at, eight months into Claudia Sheinbaum’s presidency and nearly five months into Trump’s. Are we seeing any progress with the cartels?
Let’s look at some of the actual data and facts in six different areas to help us answer this important question.
1. Is there a more significant troop presence at the border than before?
Both the U.S. and Mexico have increased their troop presence at the border. The US has over 10,000 personnel between active troops and National Guard members. Just last week the U.S. approved another 1,000 troops. On the Mexican side, Sheinbaum has approved 10,000 National Guard members to work on the border.
US deploys over 1,000 additional troops to border with Mexico
2. Is there increased cooperation on surveillance?
Following reports of covert CIA drone flights over Mexico, Sheinbaum admitted that the Mexican military was cooperating with U.S. agents to spy on cartels and locate fentanyl labs. The drone flights began early this year and have not been authorized to conduct any strikes. There were also reports of at least 18 spy plane missions conducted in the U.S. Southwest and in international airspace around the Baja Peninsula.
Pentagon’s 18 spy plane missions near US-Mexico border spark surveillance concerns
3. Is the amount of drugs confiscated higher than before?
Recent drug confiscations at the Mexico-U.S. border and within Mexico have reached record levels, notably involving fentanyl and cocaine. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported a historic seizure of approximately 4 million fentanyl pills weighing over 453 kilograms at the Lukeville, Arizona, Port of Entry — nearly quadrupling their previous record. In Texas, 1,555 kilograms of methamphetamine were also seized. In Mexico, the Navy intercepted 1.28 tonnes of cocaine off the coast of Michoacán, delivering a significant blow to traffickers. Additionally, Mexican federal authorities made the largest fentanyl bust in the country’s history by confiscating over 1,000 kilograms in Sinaloa, with an estimated economic impact of $400 million.
Federal authorities intercept more than 20 million fentanyl doses in Sinaloa
4. Have there been significant arrests of cartel leaders?
Recent arrests of drug cartel leaders have been significant in disrupting criminal operations. Francisco Román, a senior MS-13 leader, was arrested in Mexico. Additionally, Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, a top Sinaloa Cartel figure, was detained in the U.S. Ovidio Guzmán, son of ‘El Chapo,’ is set to plead guilty to drug trafficking charges. Other notable arrests include José Ángel Canobbio and Kevin Alonso Gil Acosta of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Carlos Treviño, leader of the Northeast Cartel. Earlier this year, Mexico extradited 29 cartel figures, including Rafael Caro Quintero, to the United States. And just recently, 17 family members of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán surrendered to the FBI at the U.S.-Mexico border. This event is linked to a potential plea agreement being negotiated by Ovidio Guzmán López, one of El Chapo’s sons, with U.S. authorities. It’s not yet known what impact these arrests will have on the flow of drugs, but there has been an increase in arrests as well as some unprecedented cooperation between the two countries.
In historic first, Mexico mass-extradites dozens of cartel operatives to the US
5. Has overall violence decreased?
Several weeks ago, the Sheinbaum administration gave an update highlighting a decrease in total homicides of 11% nationwide year to date versus last year. Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch reported that more than 20,000 people had been arrested for “high-impact crimes” since Sheinbaum took office and highlighted the seizure of more than 10,000 firearms. Despite the positive statistics, the administration and the entire nation were recently shocked by the murder of two close aides of Mexico City mayor Clara Brugada in a brazen morning rush hour attack. Other high profile incidents in Jalisco, Guanajuanto, and Baja California Sur have no one feeling that the security situation has significantly improved.
Mayor’s personal secretary and advisor murdered in Mexico City
6. What do leaders from the US have to say about the situation?
Several U.S. leaders, including President Trump, have recently weighed in on Mexico. Trump has — as perhaps is to be expected — heaped both praise and criticism on President Sheinbaum’s efforts to stop the cartels.
“Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl,” he wrote on social media on March 6. More recently, he told Fox News that “Mexico is, I think, very afraid of the cartels actually. I think the cartels run large sections of Mexico and I don’t want to say that because I’m getting along very well with the president.” In that interview, Trump went on to say that he is “dealing very nicely” with Sheinbaum, whom he described as “a very fine woman.”
Trump claims Mexico is ‘very afraid’ of its drug cartels in Fox News interview
The US head of Homeland Security, Kristy Noem, recently visited Sheinbaum in Mexico City and wrote the following: “Mexico’s deployment of National Guard troops to the border and acceptance of deportation flights is a positive step, but there is still much work to be done to stop the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into our country,”
Just last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of Mexico: “… It’s been actually pretty positive. They have been very responsive on our security concerns, they’ve increased their security cooperation with us in ways that have been very productive,” The secretary of state also said he “intended to travel potentially to Mexico” in “the next few weeks” along with “a couple of other cabinet members to sort of finalize some of these areas of cooperation.”
My take: Despite still being very much in the early stages, we are in fact seeing a higher level of cooperation and commitment from both the U.S. and Mexican governments in wanting to get control of this situation in a way that we have not seen before.
What do you think?
Stay tuned to MND as we cover this issue — a critical one not just for each country, but for future U.S.-Mexico relations as well. I believe we will continue to see a very steady flow of news on this topic from both countries.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
If any Mexican politician willing to stand up to the cartels didn’t fear for his/her life I would have to wonder about their grasp on reality. Assassination of political leaders at all levels is a grim fact of life in this country. It takes incredible courage to stand up to criminals who are often better armed than the Mexican army.
Americans, Canadians and Europeans who buy drugs are the fuel on which the cartels thrive, terrorize and murder with. The ultimate responsibility rests with any and all who use illegal drugs. THey are the cause of this plague on Mexico, have no doubt about that.
I agree and disagree with Daniel. Yes, the U.S. is equally at fault for not doing everything possible to educate and advertise the downside of usage. Yes, any politician would be out of their mind to not fear reprisals from the cartel .
But the cartels feed the weak with poison. The cartels are the murderers and we in the states are the murdered. The issue is a two way street. I would say the U.S. has also failed on the issue of gun control, where the opposite is true. The U.S. are the suppliers . But one of your readers stated that 85% of the guns purchased from the U.S. are purchased by the Mexican government. Again, if true, that underscores just how entwined the cartels are in every level of the Mexican government.
That said, I think Claudia’s approach is wrong. Mayors are getting killed. She, like any human being lives in fear of reprisal . The answer, in my opinion. Allow US troops to do the dirty work. No blow back on Claudia .Let the US military make a sweeping surgical effort, but with the approval and direction of the Mexican government. Stop with the sovereignty bullshit. It has a nice sound to it. But there no loss of sovereignty if Mexico green lights and controls the execution. If every nation player sovereignty when foreign troops entered, we’d still be fighting WW 2. The mess in Sinoloa and elsewhere would be over and done in short order. In time, many lives wouid be saved and Mexico would enjoy unheard of prosperity and safety. It’s not a pipe dream. But it will never happen with Claudia’s tip toeing. I think she’s terrific. Her policies are, generally fantastic. But it’s my belief that this one is terribly misguided. Stop the showmanship, and end the show. It’s much easier to push on an open door.
Well put.
Petrol is not a drug except for Trumpers. Yet, it and kidnappings and corrupt agriculture are staples of cartels. Drugs are not the sole business activity of cartels. But, I wholeheartedly agree that USA demand for optiates, meth, and (for those too stupid to grow better) marijuana, but cartels started the fentanyl wrath and don’t seem smart/considerate enough to dilute it.
Almost every day now I read about showdowns between the GN and narcos. Almost everyday I read around 3, 6 or 9 narcos killed in those showdowns. Since la Presidenta Sheinbaum and notably Harfuch came in there has been a very noticeable increase in law enforcement activities targeting the cartels. I believe la Presidenta is on the right track and hopefully she avoids the cartel’s revenge….
Cartels are embedded into the fabric of Mexican society including government. They’re all on the same side.
Unapproved Drugs is a real classification used by FDA and other agencies. Most are effective and safe but were developed and commercialized long ago
Soooo legalize and license manufacturing to whomever wants to and eliminate the threat of arrest or military action
So that the violence goes away…
Here is the process –
Those who want access to ‘unapproved’ drugs should be allowed to purchase them at Unapproved Drug Stores. Access should be limited to those 26 yrs and older, willing to take the responsibility for the pharmacology of euphoria, toxicity, and possible death. Savings from the ‘War on Drugs’ would go to treatment of people who decide to exit this life of drugs. We do not need to expend more lives in Mexico or the US to ‘protect’ those who want this lifestyle. They are not ‘victims’. Those who die in the line of duty are
The other Burns concurs. I hate it when I see loads of cocaine go down but could care less about the meth and fentanyl. The problem is violence, and if cartels won’t behave then they need to be it with violence and business disruption. The problem with the USA is that it is headed by a sociopathic felon who cannot be trusted by anyone to do anything.
Great roundup!
I lose patience with the “let the US go in and surgically make the situation perfect, because we can do it for sure.” Please. With magic? Why didn’t we use it with all our other recent foreign snafus?
The same people tend to blame México for the demand on the US side. Trying to cut off supply alone is a short-sighted “solution” that doesn’t take into account the root demand problem, akin to communities “fixing” homelessness by having police tear up homeless encampments. We don’t truly have a widespread, accessible system to address addiction (demand), and BOY does it show.
There does seem to be a willingness on President Steinbaum’s part to stem cartel activity. Unfortunately, this results in spikes in violence on a local level, whether in response to the government crackdown or due to the imbalance of powers created. We have seen big spikes in homicides inn Manzanillo.
Great summation of a systemic problem.
Thank you Sarah.
Simple answers don’t work and the crazy idea of a U.S. military “surgical strike” is so beyond naive it is hard to express. Name ONE country that the U.S. military has gone in on an effective “surgical” strike for a large scale problem. Just one in the last 150 years I am waiting.
Mexico did not develp the cartel problem in the last decade but many decades. And the fundamental problem in Mexico and North America is demand for the the drugs so suppliers will fill the demand when the returns are so outrageous. Can everyone on both sides do more….of course. But have Americans forgot the word M-A-F-I-A which has operated in the U.S. since the 1890s. Think it is eradicated? Ask anyone in the U.S. that lives in an urban city.
Everyone calm down and don’t bunch up your underwear. Claudia has been in office 8 months and she is supposed to fix everything, including cartels, already. Be realistic. Let’s look at her track record….when she was Mayor of Mexico City (the equivalent of many countries in size and population) she and Harfuch-as her Security Minister-reduced major crime by 50% (look it up) vs AMLO’s tenure—he of the bespoke empty suit.
Let’s give her a chance.
David Lea
🎯🎯🎯
I see things differently. Cartels are the result of HOW THE SOCIETY IS run…also… a post prosperity era – times of the LOST DECADE… when cartels saved mexican lives , paying people in hand when there were no jobs…. Mexico has greatly recovered… cities are prospering… at least it seems that way ? but hour and a half drive from the city – poverty reigns…. what options do young people have for work/earnings ??? NONE….. or should i say ONE – join the cartel. SO…i would say start with changing attitude to education. Age 14… give a test identifying children’s talents… couple years before graduation – create groups doing research in those areas of business , create local business contacts – get real guidance re education and career path…. early on………. so youth has an OPTION… and a way to come out of poverty… and YES… Mexican cartels today…. i call them equivalent of American ” We the People ” … exactly… it is lawyers and bankers…shop owners on main street of little towns.. etc .. AND SECOND… US just does not like to look in the ” mirror “…. FBI – CIA- DHS are criminal American cartels…… secret… running criminal unacknowledged programs… and getting away w that… MND has published earlier an article about 55 year COOPERATION of Mxn cartels and FBI !!! …. Social security that American people invest in every month…. has been full of fraud and theft…… i believe it is in a process of change…. to be operated as a WEALTH FUND… thank you Mr Trump ( although i am not his fan ) and Elon… and DOGE… US has to deal with the MARKET that exists – stress… addictions… lack of earnings adequate for living in US etc… Returning prosperity via professional education overtime will reduce need in stress management herbology ? … one thing i dont know but am wondering… would it be true to say that somewhat positive effects of cartels… is holding gov in hands of the people? American gov has gone rogue ! IRS ignores ruling of US Congress which has ruled that Federal taxes remain voluntary and money must stay in US…( used to be… now changed… choice on 1040 – Resident Alien ) … instead American tax payer money goes to fund wars and taking down foreign governments… paying for murder and starvation of babies ! children! women ! families in Palestine…. taking people OFF THEIR NATIVE LAND… so they can build luxury real estate… same in Ukraine… US took down Ukranian government , installed the sex dancer , who is now controlled by european neocons aiming for war w RUSSIA for natural resources of Russia… it is a crazy world. What can each of us do that is positive for respective local communities ?
WTF are you even talking about? US took down Ukrainian government, installed a sex dancer??????? You sound quite divorced from reality.
The US alone has armed the bad guys in Mexico. The attitude in the US towards guns is indefensible. The answers are many and complicated. Certainly we should not be allowing the US in for military activities. This is a societal issue on both sides of the border as far as employment and education vs hopelessness. If I remember correctly it was at the US’ recommendations that Mexico started going after the leaders of the cartels. This was a very bad strategy and has brought us to too many violent gangs fighting constantly over territory.
Cartel related violence continues to rage through Mexico, is more pervasive than ever and threaten´s President Sheinbaum´s presidency and the future of Mexico. Her attitude and actions are an improvement over the previous president, but so much more needs to be done. The President should welcome cooperation from France, Germany, Great Britain and the United States, the consuming nations, to combine expertise in going after Cartel money. Military intervention and the surgical bombing of labs and/or leaders would be a waste of money and resources. The United States needs to curb illegal traffic of arms to Mexico. Efforts to expose, arrest and convict current Mexican politicians, judges and municipal authorities that support Cartel activities need to be accelerated. The cartels are extremely well run international enterprises that require international cooperation, anything less is futile.
It would be beyond stupid for the US to send armed forces into Mexico, targeting narcos and labs. The Cato Institute published a report last Nov/Dec detailing the strategic, tactical, political and common sense reasons why such an intervention would fail—somewhat rhyming with the US failure to deal with the taliban in Afghanistan.
I wish this piece did more to illuminate the subject. It’s really random information, statistics , and commentary.
While most think the victims are from crimes executed for money (drugs,guns,weapons,fuel, etc), I think the intended victims are those such as Claudia, AMLO and Harfush that are behind the 4th transformation, a powerful social historical evolution much more powerful than the entrenched criminal system of cartels between US and Mexico which is a result of US demand and supply. However, the 4th Transformation is the greater. threat to US North America because of its focus on ‘people first’ at the expense of ‘profit first’, and that social/economic conflict is the basis of the real criminality that we are seeing targeted by the government of Mexico. ‘People first’ will do it every time.
Ugh, excuse me while I go vomit.
Is it possible to be more naive? I don’t think so.
I agree Ellen…Claudia and Morena will ruin the country.
I’m from Matamoros, Tamaulipas and has seen it all.
Drugs will continue to flow but needs to leave society safe like it was before Fox/Calderon. It was safe to drive at night, fewer kidnappings, extortions etc. People fell much much safer before Fox and Calderon started fighting the Cartels.
Will not response to Morena lovers. Saludos Raza!
You for covering this. I appreciated the data and summary of what has been done in the last eight months.
Even with improving cooperation between the two countries. None of this will get rid of the cartels. Only decisive military, financial and societal measures will accomplish what Mexico needs to do. Which is to finish the cartels. I think then with US and Canada’s help, rebuild the communities who have been decimated.
The question for me is wither Sheinbaum is fighting the cartels or taking sides. I see a lot of action against the Sinaloa cartel but not much else. My educated Mexican friends tell me ALMO has been corrupt for years and by inference his successor.
Why would she be taking sides? Maybe it makes sense. If the Mexican Cartels go through the same evolution as the US Mafia then they will kill off the violent ‘Turks”, curb the violence, and stop most of the Fentanyl traffic. Once in the shadows they would be allowed, just like the Mafia is in the US.
There is no way in “HERLL” to “stop the cartels in all of Mexico. No body is big enough to eliminate the cartels simply because “MONEY TALKS”. The Cartels have the money to control every “politician” in Mexico. That is why it’s impossible to wipe out the cartels. The Cartels have “OVERPOWER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND THE GOVERNMENT UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD. YOU WILL NEVER SEE A SAFE MEXICO ALL THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. FIFTY OR SIXTY YEARS AGO WHEN THE CARTELS WERE BORN DURING ALL THOSE CORRUPTE PAST PRESIDENTS, (Carlos de Gortarri , Sedo, Fox Calderon, Nieto, and Andress) all got in bed with the cartels and now the people of Mexico are faced with that dilemma till the end of the world. These are the true facts of the situation at hand now and forever.
To adopt in modified form the main point of the editorial: The cumulative drag that corruption in government at all levels and that of the cartels (threats, extortion, mismanagement, waste of national resources, embezzlement, and violence) have on the people of Mexico, as well as on economic growth, cannot be underestimated. Just as in the US and the world’s nations generally, Mexico is held back by corruption at all levels and in all aspects of the sociopolitical framework. Solving the “cartel problem” of necessity requires solving the government corruption problem. Since all governments in the history of the world have been corrupt, the future looks about the same as the past. Window dressing changes by government officials are decorative choices, not solutions.
Has the price of drugs increased on the streets of any American city? If not, all of this chatter and hugging is BS! As long as the demand is there and the supply has not dried up, all of this chatter and hugging is foolhardy. As long as there is a demand not controlled by America’s hunger for drugs, some cartels somewhere will figure out ways to get drugs to their customers. Pretty basic? Demand is the problem not supply! What are we doing in the US to stop demand?!?!!
They’re putting fentanyl in marijuana, cocaine and other drugs just to get people addicted. The supply creates the demand.
The US must deal with the fact that so many miserable people want to take these destructive drugs. Take away the demand and the situation would greatly improve. Why are there so many miserable people in the USA?? The cartels don’t sell these drugs in MX.
Also the USA seems unaware that the cartels are embedded all over MX in small towns with strategic locations. Aggression towards the cartels could easily harm local innocent people. The drug labs are not conveniently situated along the border. they are all over the country.
Fantastic article.
Very few of the national media are objective and fair in covering Claudia.
My favorite in Jorge Zepeda Patterson.
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