WAR! Mexico In CHAOS After Killing Of Cartel Boss, CIVIL WAR Feared In Mexico As Cartels VOW Revenge
El Mencho, leader of Mexico’s CJNG cartel—a U.S.-designated terrorist group tied to fentanyl and cocaine—died in a Sunday raid in Puerto Vallarta, sparking 25 cartel-related deaths among Mexican troops. Retaliation included arson at airports (Guadalajara), canceled flights by Air Canada, Delta, and others, and attacks on economic hubs like Citgo gas stations. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm as the U.S. Embassy advised Americans to shelter in place, but fears of civil war persist amid claims of U.S. intelligence involvement and Trump’s $15M bounty. The chaos mirrors past "controlled instability" strategies, like Obama’s Fast and Furious, raising concerns about escalating violence and global unrest. [Automatically generated summary]
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The videos right now coming out of Mexico are shocking and terrifying people at airports as terror attacks ring out across the country in response to the killing of El Mencho, a drug cartel leader.
Now, according to numerous reports, this guy was responsible largely for the fentanyl that is flowing into the United States.
And Donald Trump, of course, has been putting pressure on Mexico to deal with the problem of the cartels.
But anybody who's paid attention knows the cartels are basically de facto government in Mexico because they fund politicians and anybody who dares speak up against them finds their lives cut short.
But now in response for this killing, revenge against tourist hotspots.
It would seem the action is being taken to punish the Mexican economy, basically saying, if you cross us, we will hit you where it hurts.
Now, the sad thing for the Mexican cartels is that they can't hit Donald Trump.
Now, this was, as much as they're going to call a Mexican operation, this was a U.S. operation.
I mean, it wasn't literally, but the United States reportedly gave key information to Mexico and pressured them to make these moves to take out these cartels.
And Donald Trump is saying it's time for more.
The fear then is that there's going to be more violence erupting.
Despite the fact that right now, Mexico is saying everything is under control.
They've stopped the violence.
The expectation is that Trump wants more decisive action.
Today, he met with families who lost their children and loved ones through illegal immigrants, drug smuggling, or other violence.
And here we are today.
Donald Trump's not backing down.
With the boat strikes in the Caribbean and even now in the Pacific, Trump has made it clear he's not going to tolerate this trafficking, human trafficking.
The border is being controlled.
So who's really mad about all this?
Well, there are many people making the argument that this is just making the violence worse.
And for the most part, Trump's doing the right thing.
Interestingly, in the raid, they uncovered rocket launchers.
And now people are questioning just what was Barack Obama doing with Operation Fast and Furious.
Where I kid you not, the Obama administration gave thousands of guns to the Mexican cartels.
It makes you wonder about their true intentions.
And they call it one big accident.
I'm not sure I believe it, my friends.
So let's jump into the news and see exactly what's going on.
The reports coming out of Mexico absolutely crazy that they are saying things have stabilized.
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We got this report from Reuters.
Visit by romantic partner led to El Mencho killing 25 Mexican troops killed after raid as it happened.
Check this out.
Monday.
We are wrapping up our coverage, says Reuters, of the fallout from Sunday's dramatic events in Mexico.
Scheinbaum and two ministers disclosed fresh details about the operation that killed drug cartel boss Asaguera on Sunday and the violence that followed.
Known as El Mencho, Asaguero was the mastermind of the powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel, among the main Mexican criminal organizations involved in smuggling drugs such as fentanyl to the U.S.
Scheinbaum said order had now been restored after cartel members on Sunday reacted to news of El Mencho's demise by blocking roads and burning vehicles and setting fire to supermarkets and other businesses in more than half a dozen states.
At the same press conference in Mexico City, Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said 25 members of the National Guard and one security guard, security guard, had died in retaliatory cartel attacks.
Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla broke down in tears during the press conference as he offered his condolences to the family of the dead troops.
Trevilla also revealed a startling detail about Sunday's operation targeting El Mencho.
He said that information of the drug lord's whereabouts had come to light following a visit to him from his romantic partner.
Garcia Harfich said that 30 cartel operatives had also been killed during Sunday's widespread violence, as well as one bystander.
At least 70 people were arrested in seven states.
Trump weighed in on Truth Social, saying that Mexico needed to step up its actions against the drug cartels.
He has been pressuring Scheinbaum for months.
Both the Mexican and U.S. governments said the U.S. had provided intelligence for the raid targeting El Mencho.
Scheinbaum said the planning and execution of the operation had been entirely carried out by Mexico.
Now, here's what we know about the U.S. role, says Axios with the killing of El Mencho.
You can see buses set on fire.
These videos coming out of airports, they're absolutely insane.
Mexican security forces killed Nemesio Rubén Aseguera Cervantes, the country's most wanted drug lord.
Trump has for months pressed the Mexican officials to target drug cartels.
And the U.S. had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of Asaguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, who led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, a designated terrorist organization in the United States.
U.S. tourists were among those affected after violence erupted in multiple cities following the death of El Mencho, which Mexico's defense ministry said on X occurred after the Mexican military came under attack while flying the detained cartel leader to Mexico City.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo urged residents via posts to her social media accounts to remain calm.
And the U.S. Embassy in Mexico urged Americans to shelter in place in multiple states after images showed vehicles set on fire and smoke rising above beachfront hotels in Puerto Vallerta, a Pacific coastal resort town.
U.S. tourists were among those stranded in Puerto Vallerta as Air Canada announced it was canceling flights to and from the town's airport due to the ongoing security situation.
Delta, American Airlines, and Alaskan Airlines reported cancellations and delays in the tourist hub.
Scheinbaum noted that in most parts of the country, activities are proceeding normally.
In Guadalajara, Jalisco's capital, and one of the 2026 World Cup host cities, gunfire was reported and armed men that a local reporter said the next were suspected cartel members appeared to set a gas station alight in the city where CJNG was founded in 2009.
The U.S. Embassy noted in its online statement that roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic and international flights canceled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallerta.
All taxis and ride shares were suspended in Puerto Vallerta, and some businesses had suspended operations, according to the embassy.
Mexico's military came under attack while transporting the 59-year-old El Mencho and returned fire.
Security forces killed four cartel members, and three others later died of their injuries, including El Mencho, per the post.
Authorities detained two cartel members, and various weaponry and armored vehicles were seized, including rocket launchers capable of downing aircraft and destroying armored vehicles, the post adds.
A December 2024 post from the U.S. Department, U.S. State Department, announcing an increased reward for the arrest and/or conviction of El Mencho described the leader as a fugitive.
Now, this is interesting.
Many people are wondering: what's up with these rocket launchers?
How do these people have military-grade weapons to this degree?
And what is the U.S. doing to stop it?
Take a look at this from the New York Post.
Rocket launchers among military-grade equipment seized in raid that killed notorious Mexican cartel leader El Mencho.
The reality is, my friends, these cartels are de facto governments.
They are running the show in Mexico, and we all know it.
The government of Mexico is beholden to these cartels, and they've got the means to do whatever they want.
They have murdered mayors and politicians who dared to speak out against them.
The New York Post reports: rocket launchers capable of shooting down planes were among the arsenals seized by the Mexican military forces in the daring raid that killed notorious Jalisco New Generation cartel boss, El Mencho.
Special forces also seized armored cars and heavy weaponry, which are often used on the battlefield rather than in law enforcement missions.
As drug kingpin Nemicio El Mencho, Aseguera Cervantes was killed in the resort town of Puerto Vallerta, fell under siege.
Now, right now, we've got these crazy videos erupting of panic as tourists are trying to flee.
Take a look at this image.
Most domestic and international flights were canceled at Puerto Vallerta airport on Sunday.
And I believe the likely reality here is the cartels are doing this to target major hubs of economic activity for Mexico.
We have this video, Cartel Retaliates.
Let's play it now.
Arson attacks.
Vehicle set on fire.
A gas station set on fire.
It looks like a Citgo.
People shouldn't have to live this way, man.
Armed cartel members entering the Guadalajara airport, causing panic.
These aren't the only videos that we have for you, my friends.
It's absolutely insane.
They say Asaguer Cervantes, the leader of one of the fastest growing criminal networks in Mexico, notorious for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine to the U.S. and staging brazen attacks against government officials who challenged it.
People locked themselves in their homes in Guadalajara.
They say school was canceled in several states.
American tourists have now found themselves trapped in the country, witnessing what they've described as a war breaking out in the streets.
Some people are calling this the start of what may be a civil war.
One vacationer who was forced to evacuate his rented Airbnb in Puerto Vallarta told Fox Digital how he woke up to the sound of blaring car horns and saw six vehicles completely engulfed in flames.
Take a look at the scale of this violence.
Baja, California, major tourist spot.
And then you can see basically everything.
Tabasco.
I like Tabasco sauce.
It's delicious.
Passengers at the airport operate with limited personnel.
People are fleeing.
Look at this.
While no airports are closed, a majority of flights have been canceled and roadblocks are impacting airline operations.
Travelers are seen on the runway at the airport.
People getting out on the tarmac and running.
Take a look at this.
A bus set on fire.
We've got this as well.
Holiday in hell.
Tourists stranded in Mexico cartel war.
Westerners plead for help as violence explodes across the country after a drug lord is killed.
Let's see if they may have the same video.
We have this American tourist Katie Holliman from El Dorado took to Facebook to speak of her ordeal after she was told to shelter in her hotel as it was safer than attempting a journey to the airport.
Dan Smith from Palm Springs shared a shocking clip of what appeared to be him running down a staircase as alarms rang out in the background.
Cartel burns down city.
Let's play this clip for you guys.
crazy.
We call this process pacification.
We saw this in Brazil.
So for those that aren't familiar with how Brazil works, beautiful country.
The poor people don't live on the beaches because the rich people do.
And as the city was being established, poor people were forced into the hills where it was difficult to climb up and find a place to live.
Over a long period of time, they started building these shanty towns, whatever they had to build a house with.
It's so bad that sometimes it'll rain and the rain will be so intense, they will just crumble and fall.
Houses are built on top of houses.
Some people have to walk through one person's house to get to their house.
And there's the thing.
The government largely ignored these for some time.
And so about 15 or so years ago, they began the process of pacification.
Because they ignored what was going on in these favelas, de facto governments emerged and they called them gangs.
But they weren't so much gangs as they were de facto government, the controlling violent force in the area that didn't want to be messed with.
When the government decided they were going to take control of these areas, they went in and they started removing all of these gangs.
And it was brutal.
People were shot and killed in the streets.
Well, this is what needs to happen now, unfortunately, in Mexico.
The cartels are operating like de facto governments across the country.
Politicians can't hold office unless they effectively pledge allegiance.
Trump has said enough, but this is what's going to happen when you allow the cancer that is organized cartel violence.
They're selling drugs.
They're killing people.
And now they're doing this.
And you see this.
Look, I talk about the cartels and the tourist towns and how you're probably safe as a tourist, but they're telling you right now, if their control is threatened, they will kill you and anybody who gets in their way.
We got a lot more.
Look at this.
This is just more photos and videos we have coming out of Mexico of these burned out cars and tourists in panic.
This could be the end for the tourism industry in Mexico, which would cost them billions of dollars.
You've got Tijuana, fun city, right on the border, man.
You're from San Diego.
You drive on in.
You got Cancun.
You got Puerto Vallerta.
But who's going to want to fly to a place like this now?
The cartels basically said, if you don't let us sell the drugs, we shut you down.
That's a terrifying reality because it seems like this is exactly what they have done.
Mexican airport resort town under siege after the killing of this leader.
I mean, look at these.
We just got photos and videos like crazy.
Here's the guy.
I think we've got video, in fact, of the airport in chaos.
I don't know if I have this one pulled up.
Experts warned them come to that one.
Check this one out.
Panicked passengers run for their lives at Guadalajara airport after the killing.
Watch this video.
This one's from the New York Post.
We can get it going.
Unmute that and get that sound.
You see that?
Even the security...
We don't want that video, whatever that is.
Even the security guard was crouching down, taking cover because of how insane this is all getting.
Experts chilling warning after the killing of El Mencho sparks violence.
We got more videos.
I mean, check this stuff out.
This is wild, man.
Do we have any sound on this one?
I don't think we do.
Nope, this one's just got no sound.
Drone footage.
There's so much video.
Here we go.
What's this?
Let's pull back.
This is a long video.
Five minutes of all the chaos in Mexico.
unidentified
Looks like we'll get, we have some sound coming from this area, crazy.
They say the death of its most wanted man could trigger a total war in Mexico.
America's largest trading partner and most populous tourist destination.
So we got the context so far.
Security expert David Cesito said the drug lord's killing could lead to a total war against the Mexican state.
This didn't seem to be just an operation to capture El Mencho, but to exterminate him, to use lethal force to bring him down.
In the criminal underworld, such actions are not simply overlooked.
The reaction is what we are seeing now: narco-terrorism blockades and fires in grocery stores.
I think so too.
But you know what's fascinating?
As concerns erupt about the prospect of a civil war or whatever happens in Mexico, you once again have, once again, have these naysayers saying it's not possible, it's never going to happen.
So you tell me, guys, for all of you guys that are listening and made it this far, comment now and let me know if you think this could erupt.
I've seen the debate online.
And my view is, when you have de facto government basically telling the literal government no, using violence to this degree, why would they just go gentle into that good night?
They have billions of dollars.
They sleep on piles of money.
They control large swaths of Mexico.
The CD underbelly is not going to just give up, but Donald Trump is saying no.
Trump urges Mexico to step up efforts against cartels.
And here's the argument.
The death of El Mencho is not just phase one, or it's not a one-off.
It may just be phase one.
There you go, correction.
Trump is saying, do more.
Donald Trump on Monday called on Mexico to boost its efforts targeting drug cartels as widespread violence spread across the U.S. Donald Trump is saying do more.
Do you think the cartels are simply going to say, I guess we're cooked?
Or are they going to say, you ain't seen nothing yet?
Considering the degree of violence that we've seen across Mexico already, my assumption is going to be Donald Trump's not going to back down.
Donald Trump is going to tell everybody, we will not tolerate cartels, drug traffickers, illegal immigrants, and murderers.
And so he wants Mexico to clean up the streets.
The cartels are going to say, we ain't going gentle into that good night.
So the expectation then is violence has only just begun.
Now today, Donald Trump appeared at an angel family event.
He announced that February 22nd will be recognized as National Angel Family Day.
Lake and Riley's mother also spoke at the press conference thanking Trump for what she described as his commitment to remembering her daughter.
I don't think we actually have the video, and I'm not going to wait through whatever those ads are.
But Donald Trump is not backing down on foreign policy.
And although this isn't a direct overlap, Trump imposing tariffs after the fact the Supreme Court shows, he's not messing around and he's going to push further and further.
The bigger question I have for you and for everybody else is this a component of World War III?
You know, there's a lot going on in the world.
U.S. Civil War, I guess.
Some guys showed up to Trump's house with a gun.
They shot and killed him.
It's freaky stuff.
I don't know exactly what we can expect to happen, my friends.
Putin has started World War III, Zelensky says.
Oh, I don't care.
Oh, I literally don't care.
This is like the 80th time that Zelensky has made the claim that World War III has started.
So I'm not interested.
I'm just genuinely not interested.
But to be fair, we can actually still entertain the prospects of expanding war around the world.
Will the U.S. intervene to stop a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
Are tensions expanding or simmering down?
With the ICE operations in Minnesota, we saw a dramatic escalation and now a pullback.
The only problem is, my friends, as it pertains to the fears of civil war, we have one step forward, two steps back.
Or as I would say, two steps forward, one step back.
The actions in Minnesota, the escalation was dramatic.
Two people dead.
Say whatever you want about who was just fighting.
I'm not even getting into that.
I'm just saying.
Casualties on the left.
And Trump's ICE are the ones and CBP who are fighting.
Now, they pulled them back.
But do you think this stuff just goes away?
A man went to Mar-a-Laga with a gun.
He was shot and killed.
The Chungus at Lake Zurich High School, who punched another kid, no charges, minor suspension.
And the left is celebrating.
So what we have, my friends, is the violence keeps getting worse, both internationally and nationally, domestically and internationally.
Some have said we're looking at a full-scale global war, civil war and World War III, all of it just coming to a head in a grand finale of American civilization.
I don't know.
But it's hard to see with the geographic hyperpolarization in the United States, how this country survives moving forward.
Perhaps an external threat will force the United States to align, but I don't see how that even makes sense.
I really don't.
If Trump does it, it is wrong.
And so many thought that COVID would be unifying and that people around the country, across the country, around the country, across the country, would come together from this pandemic.
And it was anything but that.
So where are we now?
My friends, Mexico is a narco-state.
It is a fact.
Trump is right.
I have this for you.
From Operation Fast and the Furious, the Obama administration gave around 2,000 guns, more to cartels.
And the idea was if we give them the guns, we can figure out who's trafficking where.
Instead, they just armed them to the teeth.
I'll tell you what I think.
I don't believe it was an accident.
I believe that the Obama administration, our previous governments, were funding and allowing the cartels to operate on purpose.
We know that the U.S. gave a bunch of materials to the Syrian rebels, turned into ISIS.
They make the argument, no, no, it never happened.
Yet somehow ISIS was driving around in a truck, advertising some guy in Michigan.
Indeed, a lot was done to prop up violence.
Trump gets into office, and what happens?
The drug traffickers is getting blown up, they say.
The cartels are losing their minds.
Their leaders are being killed.
They said Donald Trump was going to be bad, but instead it looks like, although things are rough, Trump is actually fighting for American interests.
No war with Russia.
No involvement in Eastern Europe.
We're involved.
We're entangled.
Trump not doing the best job, but you can see what his efforts are, where his efforts are.
ISIS was flattened.
I'll tell you what I think.
I think the globe, largely, the global powers, operate under controlled chaos.
ISIS was intentional.
I think the Obama administration, the Bush administration, all of these administrations wanted ISIS to exist.
They want the instability.
They want the cartels who have influence in Mexico.
They want controlled chaos so that they can tell you we're the ones who protect you.
They want the chaos in the Middle East to destabilize our enemies, a weapon of U.S. intelligence.
And Trump said enough.
Now, don't get me wrong.
Trump's far from perfect.
He's very, very far from it.
But he flattened ISIS.
He brought about the Abraham Accords.
He worked towards solving these problems.
And for this, they seek to impeach him.
They accuse him of being all of the worst things imaginable.
Trump is a lot of bad things.
He's a lot of things indeed.
But it seems like when you look at what's going on with tariff policy to help restore American manufacturing, taking out the drug traffickers, taking out the cartels, stopping ISIS, negotiating for peace in the Middle East, everything that's been done thus far has been a major net positive for the United States.
Now call him lewd and lascivious.
Call him a huckster.
Call him whatever you want.
You can't deny the results.
And so what does that mean for us if we lose this moving forward?
Well, they're going to impeach him for sure.
That doesn't mean he'll get removed.
He probably won't, but expect nothing to advance.
What happens if the Democrats take the House or the Senate?
What happens if they win the presidency in 2028?
Our border will be opened.
Drugs and illegal immigrants will flood this country.
Things will be worse than they have ever, worse than they have ever been.
And I think that's just the demise of the United States as a country.
Our wealth, our talent extracted and burned to the ground.
And China will rise.
And you will get a Chinese Communist Party unipolar world.
You will be forced to adhere to the policies of the Chinese Communist Party, which are deeply ethno-nationalist.
So if you're not Chinese, well, you're in trouble.
In fact, if you're not even the right kind of Chinese.
I don't know where we go right now, my friends, but what I can say is, I believe that there's going to be an escalation of violence in the United States.
I believe there's going to be an escalation of violence in Mexico.
And we may be on the brink of greater full-scale war with Iran right now.
Now, for everything good you can say about Trump, this Iran stuff is where we're getting freaky.
But again, I got to say, all of this towards American interest.
Now, there are people going to tell you, oh, you know, Israel wants us to go after Iran.