Part 5/12:
Despite tactical successes, the broader picture remains troubling. Mexico continues to suffer from roughly 30,000 murders annually, many linked to cartel violence. Meanwhile, the United States faces its own toll—over 50,000 to 75,000 overdose deaths each year driven mainly by fentanyl trafficked through these criminal networks.
Historically, targeting cartel leadership has produced mixed results. As a former CIA officer told Reuters, “Sikario is a good movie, but bad policy. Drugs are a consumption problem, not a production problem.” The belief is that killing cartel bosses often leads to violent splinter groups rivaling each other, exacerbating the chaos.