Part 4/11:
Recent reports from reputable sources like The New York Times illuminate a different focus: the success of diplomatic pressure rather than military strikes. It appears that the Trump administration’s approach of leveraging economic and diplomatic coercion has motivated Mexico to take substantial steps against the cartels.
The U.S. applied intense pressure by threatening to bypass Mexico altogether if they did not act decisively. By doing so, the administration aimed to incentivize the Mexican government to step up its efforts, including hunting down and arresting high-level cartel figures, and cooperating more openly with U.S. agencies. This strategy appears to be working; Mexico has already made notable arrests and has extradited some cartel leaders to the U.S. for prosecution.