Mexico’s 20-Year Cartel War Fuels Violence, Straining U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation
Updated
Updated · NBC News · May 19
Mexico’s 20-Year Cartel War Fuels Violence, Straining U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation
2 articles · Updated · NBC News · May 19
Two decades after Mexico launched its war on drug cartels, violence is still raging and continues to destabilize parts of the country.
That persistent bloodshed is complicating U.S.-Mexico security cooperation, tying a long-running domestic conflict to cross-border policy and enforcement challenges.
The latest assessment underscores how a campaign begun 20 years ago has failed to end cartel violence, leaving instability entrenched as a central bilateral security issue.
With cartel kingpin 'El Mencho' gone, will his empire collapse or will a more violent power vacuum emerge in its place?
Is the 'kingpin strategy' a true victory against cartels, or does it just create a more fragmented and deadlier enemy?
The Fallout of El Mencho’s Death: Violence, Cartel Fragmentation, and Mexico’s Struggle for Stability
Overview
The death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, in a shoot-out with Mexican forces on February 22, 2026, triggered immediate and widespread violence across Mexico. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC) responded swiftly and brutally, launching coordinated attacks that spread from Jalisco to 20 states. Cartel operatives set vehicles and businesses on fire and blockaded roads, plunging the country into chaos. This wave of retaliation resulted in at least 62 deaths, including 25 National Guard members, highlighting the cartel’s enduring power and the severe instability that followed El Mencho’s removal.