Narco-Traffic's Bloody Roots: The US Role in Mexico's Cartel Wars, CJNG Edition
When news reports detail the brutal rise of cartels like Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) and their leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as 'El Mencho,' an essential piece of the puzzle is consistently left out. The violence consuming Mexico's drug trade, often presented as an internal Mexican problem, has profound roots in US policy and insatiable demand. This isn't merely about supply and
demand; it involves a complex history of US military aid, anti-drug operations, and economic influence that has consistently destabilized Mexico. Consider the Merida Initiative, a security cooperation agreement between the US and Mexico launched in 2008. While officially aimed at combating drug trafficking, critics argued it heavily militarized the conflict, provided Mexico with billions in
military hardware and training, and shifted the focus from tackling demand in the US to an enforcement-heavy approach in Mexico. This mirrored the US's 'War on Drugs' in Colombia during the 1990s, where similar aid packages led to increased violence and the rise of new, more brutal paramilitaries even as older cartels were dismantled. The flow of US-made weapons across the border, often
facilitated by illegal sales within states like Arizona and Texas, further fuels the firepower of groups like CJNG, which by 2018 were directly challenging the Mexican military, ambushing convoys, and even shooting down an army helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade. The hypocrisy is glaring. Washington decries the cartels' violence while its domestic market provides the primary economic