In Jalisco state, Mexico, police discovered the decapitated bodies of five men in plastic bags on a road in the municipality of Ojuelos. The bodies were found just a week after the beheading of a Mexican mayor, highlighting the ongoing issue of violence and organised crime in the country. National Guard members who responded to the scene also located a bag believed to contain the victims’ severed heads, and forensic experts are working to identify the victims and gather further evidence.
The gruesome murders and public disposal of bodies in Mexico are often indicative of involvement by powerful drug cartels, such as the Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel (CJNG). Ojuelos borders Lagos de Moreno, a city that has seen numerous violent murders attributed to organised crime. Jalisco state has reported a high number of murders, with 1,415 people killed between January and September of the current year. The ongoing violence in Mexico stems from clashes between local gangs and authorities, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and disappearances since the government’s deployment of the army to combat drug trafficking in 2006.
In Guerrero state, the mayor of Chilpancingo city, Alejandro Arcos, was killed shortly after taking office, with reports suggesting he had requested additional protection. His decapitated head was found on the hood of a pickup truck, underscoring the volatility and danger in the region. Guerrero has long been a center for opium poppy production, leading to intense competition among drug-trafficking gangs. These armed groups, numbering at least 16, have been challenging local authorities, escalating tensions and violence in the area.
Mexico’s newly elected President Claudia Sheinbaum, the first female leader of the country, has inherited a significant challenge in addressing the escalating cartel violence. She has committed to continuing her predecessor’s strategy of focusing on social policies to address the root causes of crime, rather than resorting to militaristic tactics. Sheinbaum has vowed to avoid a return to the failed “war on drugs” approach, which was initially launched in 2006 with the support of the United States but resulted in increased violence and instability.
As the violence and brutality of organised crime continue to escalate in Mexico, residents and authorities alike are facing a critical juncture in addressing the root causes of the issue. The ongoing clashes between drug cartels, local gangs, and law enforcement agencies have led to a significant loss of life and disruptions to communities across the country. President Sheinbaum’s commitment to a non-militaristic approach, focusing on social policies and addressing systemic issues, represents a shift in strategy that aims to tackle the issue of crime and violence from a different angle.
Despite the challenges and complexities of addressing cartel violence in Mexico, the government’s commitment to addressing the root causes of crime and violence offers hope for a more sustainable and effective approach. By focusing on social policy interventions and avoiding a return to militaristic tactics, President Sheinbaum and her administration aim to create safer communities and reduce the impact of organised crime on Mexican society. The ongoing efforts to identify victims, gather evidence, and tackle the violence reflect a broader strategy to confront the systemic issues that fuel cartel violence in the country.
