End of an era: Mexico eliminated the most dangerous drug lord in the world

The Glico Cartel, under the leadership of El Mancho, has become the most powerful and significant criminal organization in Mexico, with branched arms that deal with international drug trafficking and violent and aggressive activity. His death is defined as the worst blow suffered by the world of drug trafficking in the modern history of the country.

Following the assassination, riots and violent roadblocks broke out by members of the organization in several states in central Mexico, including Michoacán, Glico, Tamaulipas, Colima and Guanajuato.

The cartel members also carried out aggressive retaliatory actions that included setting fire to buses and vehicles, setting up burning roadblocks (“narco-blockades”) and armed confrontations. The immediate goal of the cartel operatives is to delay the advance of the military forces and to wreak havoc.

The riots also quickly spread to the main civilian centers in the region. There were scenes of mass panic at Guadalajara International Airport, as passengers were recorded fleeing for their lives following reports of gunmen shooting near and inside the terminal. A similar panic was also registered in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, where columns of heavy smoke were recorded rising above the city. In light of the situation, many non-essential businesses were closed, and airlines announced the immediate suspension of flights to the region due to the precarious security situation.

Following the extreme events and the heavy fear of further revenge actions by the cartel, the United States Embassy in Mexico issued a severe travel warning and ordered American citizens staying in the prone areas to lock themselves in their homes. The US government previously offered a reward of up to 15 million dollars for information leading to the capture of “El Mancho”, whose organization is responsible for smuggling huge amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine into its territory.

Osgara, born in 1966, was the last of a generation of veteran drug lords who began their journey in the last century, when various alliances were forged between crime and government. He started as a junior drug dealer and assassin, until he became the main target of the law enforcement authorities. Security sources in Mexico stated that he recently hid in a difficult-to-access mountainous area between Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.

The successful operation is registered as a significant strategic achievement for the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, and her Minister of Defense, Omar Garcia Harposh, precisely at a time when there was an increase in the level of violence. Now, the Mexican security establishment is preparing for a wave of bloody succession battles within the Galisco cartel, which could exacerbate the country’s instability.