The US State Department has targeted five high-profile criminal organizations that have maintained control of the Tierra Caliente region and the state of Michoacán.
The DoS has now established a series of rewards for five high-profile leaders of the United Cartels of Mexico (Carteles Unidos), which are part of various local cells that have maintained criminal control of regions such as Tierra Caliente and the state of Michoacán itself in their narco war. Michoacán has always been a place to fight over given their vastness of land but their amazing agricultural lands for ample production of lime and avocados.
In this regard, the institution, through the Narcotics Rewards Program ( NRP ), sanctioned the following Mexican drug lords:
- Juan José Farías Álvarez, “The Grandfather”
- Nicolás Sierra Santana, “El Gordo”
- Alfonso Fernández Magallón, “Poncho”
- Luis Enrique Barragán Chávez, “R5”, “Wicho”, “Güicho”
- Edgar Orozco Cabadas, also known as “El Kamoni”
Meanwhile, affiliations have taken a different shape in Mexico’s chaotic state currently in a civil war. Now, In Sinaloa, hitmen from CJNG’s Mencho Special Forces (FEM), CDS/CH (Chapitos), and CDS/GDG (Gente de Guana) have joined forces to combat the CDS/MF (Mayo Flacitos) and Beltrán Leyva gangs.
Civil War Origins
The kickstarting of the Civil War came from the an alleged meeting between the heads of both factions of the Sinaloa cartel that apparently went awry with the main leader, Mayo Zambada, was kidnapped and taken over to the United States. Last I remember coming across, he was pleading guilty to a number of charges in the United States and there were some agreements being established.
Some debate whether this was an excuse to generate a break up of the Sinaloa cartel, which certainly seems to be happening, some say that the cartel had origins and contracts with the CIA and other government affiliations and that this was simply coming to an end, while the general consensus believe is that Zambada was betrayed by the other faction of the cartel and hence the struggle for control/power.
I don’t know the truth of the matter… I just know that Sinaloa is a complete disaster with the war escalating and bringing in other states such as Zacatecas and Durango.
What is the case
Newer cartels now have a militaristic and professional approach to conducting operations had been sitting back during the whole part of this and playing it neutral. Now, they benefit from the civil war in Sinaloa in a number of ways
- Their new affiliations in Sinaloa grant them a direct pathway to already established border access; at a time when they’re working on a new area of the border
- The top organization or “status quo” in Mexico is weakening
- They continue to operate and mobilize with less attention, momentarily.
The CJNG, like the other organizations are transnational and namely has affiliations with China through sourcing their precursors, through human trafficking, utilizing Chinese banking to clean money and other equipment related to submarines and drones. Needless to say, they are partnered quite strongly with China, apparently more-so than other organizations in Mexico. This fact is what partly makes them so powerful but also so important in the larger geopolitical relationship between the United States and Mexico.
Quid Pro Quo
What could be happening is that the United States is trying to win over their control to establish a new status quo. If the United States agree to target the enemies of the new CJNG and make their lives easier in Michoacán and other states–perhaps they could get some of their representatives to the negotiating table (allegedly, as they did with Sinaloa).
This is an important proposition because it would seem that the Mexican state are particularly aggressive in trying to target CJNG members with a major arrest occurring months ago. This would run contrary to the interests of the Mexican government.
Mexico’s US Divide
Mexican government officials and US officials are absolutely not a good terms. Any attempt to calm nerves by Sheinbaum is simply that, since most Mexicans genuinely fear the result of US presence on their territory. However, we have seen a lot of back and forth throughout the last few years.
- Andres Manuel López Obrador overt relationship with the Sinaloa cartel and its members; anti-US business practices
- Arizona senators involved in the cartel operations
- USA drones flying around Mexico City unannouced
- Orders to now reduce visa visits to the United States and raising the bar of residency requirements
- US senators and representatives overtly calling for war with Mexican cartels and military
- Mexican government remaining silent; antagonistic towards US wishes
- Tariff talks, new tariffs and future uncertainties
- Closure of US companies in Mexico
A fight over US presence in Mexican parliament
Puzzles
For anyone with two feet and a heart beat, it is obvious that the Mexican government and the Mexican “cartels” are synonymous with each other; they are different arms upon the same body.
It would seem that it enjoyed a relationship with a business attitude towards conducting themselves however that this may be in jeopardy. From various videos that are deliberately circulated on the internet… there is a real case to be made that the Mexican military has never seen such strong cartels to date. In other words, we’re not dealing with 78 IQ illiterate teenagers in chanklas holding an AK-47… some of these groups are trained at the highest level of warfare with the world’s latest technologies who are now utilizing terror, political pull and media warfare on a professional basis now.
Long story short, I believe there’s a real possibility that the Mexican state is losing control of these organizations and their capacity to exert their will free from state oversight or at least agreements. Ever wonder why the President of Mexico is so silent about their existence? Better to keep it under the rug, like everything else in Mexico…
If this is the case, then we should expect the United States striving towards fixing a new relationship with the new player in town.
Quid Pro WOAH
I am very reaching with this idea…but you could imagine a situation where the United States, who seem interested in economically shattering their Northern and Southern neighbours could weaponize their newfound relationship against the Mexican army themselves. All of this posturing “against” the cartel could simply be cause to arm and prepare their newfound affiliate to do the dirty work necessary to plant their control over the Mexican economy and state assets.
As I mentioned, this damages China as well–who benefits tremendously from illicit behavior from Mexico. A win-win for the USA from a strategic point of view and no real loss from the perspective of the new dangerous cartels.
Mexico’s Lost Neutrality
I’ve said before to On The Ball members, if we look domestically in Mexico, it has NEVER been peaceful… For hundreds of years, and thousands before that, the origins of Mesoamerica have always been a tribal bloodbath and the fact that European influence had arrived 506 years ago, it hasn’t changed all that much in how people treat each other.
Despite this, most of Mexico’s history has been very peaceful and neutral on an international basis. Both World Wars saw Mexico as a fantastic place to escape towards. However, that is no longer the case.
Given the rise of some of the most sophisticated, influential and powerful criminal organizations on the planet, a communist government, the wealth increase in Mexico as a product of being neighbours to money printer USA and China’s economic rise, among other factors…Mexico is likely the least neutral country on the planet. Similar to mainland Europe, I cannot see a future where larger superpowers don’t rip the nation and its resources apart limb by limb and its lawless enough for this to happen in a flash. For the first time, it’s geography, relationships, history and criminal actors have surmounted to a tipping point in its future.
Could the United States be heavily involved behind the scenes with Mexican criminal organizations? Are they specifically going after certain groups as a favor to win over new friendships South of the border and tug them away from China? Could USA be eyeing Mexico (the state itself) as the ultimate prize? There’s more questions than answers but definitely strap in… this is going to get crazy!
