US Issues Security Alert as Post-Operation Violence Grips Mexico
Let's follow the trail: The US State Department issued a security alert for Jalisco, Mexico, after reports of widespread violence, arson, and roadblocks. This unrest followed a targeted Mexican military operation that resulted in the reported death of a high-ranking leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a group known for its extreme brutality and vast criminal enterprise. Commercial
activity ceased, and residents were advised to shelter in place as the region descended into chaos. The immediate concern for American citizens abroad is understandable, yet the framing by media outlets often omits crucial context. The US routinely intervenes in Latin American affairs, often with destabilizing consequences, then expresses surprise at the ensuing disorder. For instance, the US
provided substantial military aid and training to Colombian forces under Plan Colombia, ostensibly to combat drug trafficking, a program which, by 2015, had cost over $10 billion. While presented as a success, it significantly militarized the conflict and failed to eradicate coca cultivation, instead shifting production zones and exacerbating internal displacement. The focus remains on symptoms,
never the systemic factors. This pattern of external intervention generating internal blowback is not new. In 1989, the US launched Operation Just Cause, invading Panama to depose General Manuel Noriega, a former CIA asset turned liability. The invasion, purportedly to combat drug trafficking and restore democracy, caused widespread civilian casualties, estimated by some Panamanian sources to be