The Situation in Mexico

[cholas]

I have been keeping up with the developments in this drama. Unfortunately my wife and kids are in the Puerto Vallarta area so I'm hearing things first-hand. My flight tomorrow to return (I'm in the u.s) will likely be cancelled.

As far as I know all flights heading to PV today were either cancelled, turned around or had to land in Cabo to refuel and return home. The airport was completely evacuated with only a couple of flights leaving early. There were numerous cars/buses/etc burning. Many had been carjacked. There were rumors of a prison break in PV, which if true is rather dangerous. Those folks aren't in there for petty crimes.

Everyone is staying home which is likely all that is needed until this sorts itself out. I got a message about 1.5 hours ago saying that the Mexican Navy are flying helicopters in the area. There had been very limited military presence, which seems odd.

There are many pages on FB that focus on the area. Lots of images/videos(that are likely not AI), most taken by very frightened tourists. "Inside La Cruz" is pretty active.

As an aside: last week the u.s military deposed of 2 "drug boats" in the "Eastern Pacific" killing 8. Six of them were from La Cruz de Huanacaxle. The town was already reeling. (they were likely not fishing)

I had wondered earlier if this is all an alphabet/mossad op.

 

[mkrnhr]

Some time ago a Mexican colleague told me that many cartel commanders (I don't recall if it was about this Jalisco cartel or another) are military trained in the US who have defected. In other words, the go to the US for training, they return to Mexico and join the cartels. It could be a perfect Trojan horse for destabilization. The Colombian mercenaries in Ukraine is common knowledge but the possibility of Mexican cartel people cannot be excluded (heard about the rumour months ago anyway).

 

[cholas]

Very likely mkrnhr. This seemed very organized (today). What is surprising is that generally PV and Cancun were "off-limits" as many of the luxury high-rises that are going up everywhere are laundries for the cartels.

Then again, there are pending investigations into this. Might be another angle.

 

[Puma]

military trained in the US who have defected. In other words, the go to the US for training, they return to Mexico and join the cartels.

That's right, that was the case with the Zetas Cartel (1997-2012), which was formed by Mexican Army lieutenant Arturo Guzmán Decena, alias "Z-1." He created the cartel with personnel from the Aeromobile Special Forces Group (GAFE), an elite unit trained in combat, special tactics, and educated at the School of the Americas (Fort Bragg, U.S.) and possibly by Israeli instructors.

They were hired by Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, leader of the Gulf Cartel (based in Tamaulipas), as the armed wing or "personal guard" to protect him from rivals (such as the Sinaloa Cartel) and from the army itself. The Zetas started as hitmen, bodyguards, and enforcers for the Gulf Cartel, and with the capture of Osiel Cárdenas, they became an autonomous organization. Today it no longer exists, but its members have formed other paramilitary-style organizations, such as the CJNG.

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[Liliea]

He created the cartel with personnel from the Aeromobile Special Forces Group (GAFE), an elite unit trained in combat, special tactics, and educated at the School of the Americas (Fort Bragg, U.S.) and possibly by Israeli instructors.

So they fight, but then everything stays within "the family".

According to The Washington Post:
The US assisted Mexican forces in the special operation to eliminate CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias ‘El Mencho’.
According to a US official, “the operation was carried out by the Mexican Army, but involved a joint US-Mexico force.” The structure was formed by the Pentagon in January 2025 to combat drug cartels and is based in the state of Arizona.

The media outlet specified that the aforementioned group interacts regularly with the Mexican Army. Specifically, it collects information on drug cartels operating in the US and Mexico.

The Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, which involves multiple U.S. government agencies, was formally launched last month with the goal of mapping out networks of drug cartel members on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. officials said.
(...)
U.S.-military-led task force may have offered Mexican authorities. The official stressed the raid itself was a Mexican military operation.
The former official added El Mencho was very high, if not at the top, of a list of U.S. targets in Mexico.

Exclusive: New US military-led group aided Mexico's hunt for 'El Mencho' cartel boss

A new U.S.-military-led task force specializing in intelligence collection on drug cartels played a role in the Mexican military raid on Sunday that killed the Mexican drug lord known as 'El Mencho,' a U.S. defense official told Reuters.

www.reuters.com