The Trump administration issued a strong warning to Mexican drug cartels on Tuesday amidst rising violence in Mexico, leaving many Americans stranded in the region.
Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed during a military operation in Mexico that was supported by U.S. intelligence. He took over leadership after Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was ousted.
Tourists were advised to stay inside resorts as cartel members responded violently, blocking roads and setting vehicles on fire. In response to the escalating situation, the U.S. Department of State set up a 24-hour emergency line for citizens in the affected areas.
“Mexican drug cartels know that if they touch a single American, there will be severe consequences under this president,” White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt stated during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.”
Leavitt emphasized that the operation to eliminate “El Mencho” was, in part, made possible through U.S. involvement, part of a larger initiative by the Trump administration aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks in Mexico.
“The president’s top priority is to target and pursue the vicious drug cartels that have been poisoning our country for far too long,” Leavitt added.
Trump, on his first day in office, signed a presidential order designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Since then, he has greenlit attacks on drug-smuggling operations in the Caribbean and Pacific.
This escalation in violence follows heightened pressure on Mexico, which recently extradited 37 cartel members to the United States. Just weeks prior, the U.S. apprehended Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, indicating a broader strategy in the region.
Leavitt also pointed out that the president has taken decisive actions against drug boats in the Caribbean, stating, “We are united and working closely with the Mexican government to tackle the flow of dangerous drugs into the U.S. southern border.”
