Mexico reels from the slaying of its most elusive kingpin, El Mencho of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, killed in a U.S.-aided op that sparked orchestrated chaos. Highways ablaze, tourists marooned – the fallout exposes the fragility of peace in cartel country.
The Sunday clash wiped out El Mencho and accomplices, with Mexican forces suffering losses alongside cartel dead and detainees. U.S. agencies provided crucial intel, enabling the precision strike, sources revealed.
Vengeance unfolded dramatically: roadblocks proliferated, fires raged, smoke choked resort skylines. Puerto Vallarta’s beaches became backdrops for terror, stranding U.S. revelers. Eyewitnesses described methodical arson after evacuation orders, fueling media frenzy.
Air travel halted, U.S. officials scrambled with hotlines and alerts promoting on-site safety and flight checks amid partial calm.
Sheinbaum heralded a return to routine, yet the specter of infighting looms large for the CJNG, a fentanyl-fueled behemoth eyeing American markets. Jalisco’s tensions threaten its World Cup hosting role.
Persistent government anti-cartel rhetoric clashes with reality’s brutal cycles. El Mencho’s demise is a tactical win, but strategic victory demands confronting entrenched narco-power.