Evidence of Corruption Linked to Notorious Cartel Leader
The leader of the criminal group known as El Mencho maintained meticulous records indicating that numerous local police officials were on his payroll, as well as state and federal agents. This information adds further support to prior reports detailing how El Mencho and his organization, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), managed to influence multiple levels of the Mexican government.
This week, the Mexican military, operating with U.S. intelligence and oversight, released a collection of photos from a ledger discovered in the hideout where the infamous drug lord was killed. These images reveal intricate details about the financial transactions made by CJNG to various individuals, including employees of the government.
The documents employ codenames to protect identities but reference people within Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office and members of both military and state institutions. They shed light on whom El Mencho considered safely sheltered in a network of luxurious cabins, previously identified by the U.S. Treasury as assets involved in money laundering.
Insights from this ledger also illustrate the financial resources necessary for CJNG to exert control over relatively small regions, while the cartel maintains authority over extensive parts of Mexico. Such payments are likely replicated throughout the country.
Numerous journalists and politicians in Mexico have emphasized that CJNG financially supports election campaigns of members belonging to the ruling MORENA party. This alliance with drug money allowed the CJNG and other criminal organizations to operate with a degree of impunity during MORENA’s governance.
This situation has shifted since the Trump administration assumed office, as it has pressured Mexico regarding cartel operations. Subsequently, the U.S. designated CJNG and similar groups as foreign terrorist organizations.
According to reports, last Sunday, in reaction to pressure and implied threats from the United States, Mexican forces—acting on U.S. intelligence and commands—raided several luxury cabins in Tapalpa, Jalisco, leading to El Mencho’s demise. Following this, his organization unleashed a wave of violence across Mexico, including prison breaks, carjackings, and rampant destruction, which brought many areas to a halt.
