Mexico

Mexico’s security landscape is characterized by violent disputes between criminal groups fighting for control over illicit economies. The ensuing political violence, and the burden this places on the civilian population, has resulted in Mexico continually ranking amongst the world’s most extreme conflicts according to the ACLED Conflict Index.

Cartel activity in Mexico

The current security situation in Mexico can be traced back to the 1980s, when criminal groups dedicated to smuggling drugs to the United States started expanding their reach to benefit from the re-orientation of Colombia’s drug trafficking routes from the Caribbean to Mexico. Up until the late 1990s, four main cartels controlled drug trafficking zones in the country, but with time, competition over these illicit economies in the country has shifted, fragmenting Mexico’s gang landscape. Intra- and inter-cartel struggles and attempts by governments to dismantle criminal leaders have led to hundreds of groups vying for control, sometimes forming volatile and shifting alliances. These groups’ economic activities have diversified to include activities like extortion, oil theft, illegal mining, timber contraband, kidnapping and forced disappearances, and human trafficking. This is often carried out in collusion with co-opted or corrupt officials, which has led to an erosion of trust in Mexico’s judicial and executive institutions.

Despite attempts by successive governments to clamp down on the violence fuelled by illicit economies, gangs and cartels continue to pose the greatest threat to public safety and security.  Mexico also featured prominently in ACLED’s special series of violence targeting local officials because political figures are often targeted by these criminal groups, particularly around elections, when these groups try to influence the outcome. 

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel are two of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations, maintaining extensive territorial footprints across multiple states. Although each group operates under a distinct organizational model, both rely on strategic alliances to expand their territorial control and diversify their criminal activities. Their reach extends well beyond Mexico’s borders, with transnational operations that amplify the impact of their activities across multiple continents.