The protests in Los Angeles California against ICE raids are loosing steam. Mayor Karen Bass has loosened the curfew restrictions (KTLA). US President for life hopeful Donald Trump has directed the ICE to pause raids on farms, hotels and restaurants (PBS) and focus on sanctuary cities instead (Associated Press). This is designed to help his man gods stay good with the wealthy elite.
The driving force behind immigration from Central and South America is violence. The Mexican government reports there are over 80,000 missing persons due to cartel wars (University of Minnesota). It is estimated 30,000 civilians were murdered each year between 2014 and 1024 (Vision of Humanity).
Mexican authorities have been waging a deadly battle against drug cartels for nearly two decades, but with limited success. Thousands of Mexicans—including politicians, students, and journalists—die in the conflict every year. The country has seen more than 460,000 homicides since 2006, when the government declared war on the cartels. Council on Foreign Relations
Trump has preferred to promote building a wall than let attention to the plight of Mexican citizens. So also has the press. When former president Joe Biden forwarded a bill to fund personnel and equipment to process asylum requests at the southern border Trump and his Republican cohorts, notably former house member Matt Gaetz, sabotaged the bill. The ICE raids have done wonders to distract us from the real cause of mass migration. The predictable, though justifiable, reaction by people in sanctuary cities have kept the eyes of the press off of Mexican cartel violence. Not sure how a 15% tariff on Mexican goods will help fight the cartels either, or slow the fentanyl crisis in the US.
- Mexico in shock over discovery of apparent cartel training ranch and killings NPR
- Organised Crime and Institutional Deterioration in Mexico Vision of Humanity
From 2021
On October 15th, 2020, DEA agents arrested Mexican General Salvador Cienfuegos, allegedly a member of El Sindicado ( The Syndicate). Military officers with overwhelming influence that supposedly “tolerate” the elected government.
US agents had determined that he was “El Padrino” of the H-2 Cartel. He was in charge of the government’s anti drug cartel effort and at the same time running a cartel. How convenient. It’s a similar situation to that of Genaro Garcia Luna who was the Mexican Secretary of Public Security. He accepted bribes from Jesus Zambada García, El Chapo’s brother, to the tune of $6 million.
The US held him until the 18th, when by request of the Mexican government they dropped the charges and handed him off to Mexican authorities. Attorney General William Barr said he was promised the investigation would continue by the Mexican government. I’m sure he really believed that.
In late December the Mexican government moved to restrict DEA agents immunity while operating in their borders. This action ended the long standing cooperative effort of the US and Mexico in the fight against drug cartels.
On the 14th of January, the Mexican government exonerated him of all charges (New York Times). This was an “unexpected” about face from their promise the general would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. In a statement on Friday, the Justice Department said, “The United States reserves the right to recommence its prosecution of Cienfuegos if the Government of Mexico fails to do so.” We’ll see.