A decade-long drug war in Mexico has continued to bring violence to Mexican citizens. The U.S. prosecution of former Sinaloa cartel “drug lord” Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán in 2019, and the beginning of the trial of Genaro García Luna, the former public security minister of Mexico, in 2023 has led to increased attention to the tensions between government and the cartels.
The Arrest of Ovidio Guzmán
The U.S. is also playing a role, recently taking action in prosectuting key players in the cartel, like the recent detainment of “El Chapo’s” son, Ovidio Guzmán. Mexican authorities led the dramatic operation in Culiacán, Mexico on Jan 5. After catching Guzmán at 4 a.m., violence ensued as gangsters anxious to get Guzmán out of police custody exchanged fire with security forces. Cartel members attacked the Sinaloa state, torching vehicles, blocking major roadways and open-firing at both military and civilian airplanes at a local airport. These acts of domestic terrorism are in retaliation to Mexico cracking down on cartels and working with the U.S. to coordinate arrests.
In response to the detention of Guzmán, Mexico Security Chief Rosa Icela Rodríguez celebrated the achievement saying, “Nobody is above the law.” This came one week before Joe Biden visited the country for bilateral meetings with Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Since the arrest and continued acts of violence, Sinaloa’s Security Secretary Cristóbal Castañeda urged citizens to steer clear of the area.
Due to the nature of the situation, Mike Vigil, the former chief of the American Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), said the arrest of the drug lord’s son will likely make no difference. It more so acts as a “victory of justice and the rule of the law,” according to an article by The Guardian. Vigil also expects further retailiation by cartel bosses in revenge to the loss of their families and members.
The U.S. will continue to provide support and resources to Mexico to fight against cartel members and corruption within the Mexican government. In his visit to Mexico, President Biden met with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries. In their discussion, the two specifically spoke about increased cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico to prosecute drug traffickers and dismantle the criminal cartel networks in the country.
The Mexican Drug War’s Affect on America
Mexican drug cartels are the leading importer of herione, cocaine, methamphetamine and other narcotics to the United States. Since the war drug began in 2006, the U.S. has supplied aid and billions of dollars to the Mexican government to help fight against the cartels and dismantle the criminal networks.
Not only do the cartels bring drugs, but they bring violence. Mexico has had over 360,000 homicides since the start of the war against cartels, and that number only continues to rise as the war goes on. With so much violence happening at U.S. borders, this war affects both Mexico and America –– despite the ongoing issues of immigration happening at the border.
Additionally, the U.S. has put Mexico under a travel advisory due to increased risk of crime and kidnappings (particularly in the state of Sinaloa). So in layman’s terms, if you were looking to spend spring break on the beautiful beaches of Mexico… it might be best to look elsewhere.
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