The war on drugs cannot be won 

The recent capture and killing in Mexico of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”), leader of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (Jalisco New Generation Cartel CJNG), has sparked a significant reaction among journalists and academics both within the country and abroad. Analysts have offered a range of reflections on the logistical and tactical aspects of the operation, as well as its implications for the World Cup matches to be held this summer and for Mexico’s security landscape in the short and medium term.

Despite the enormous costs that the death of the CJNG leader will have for levels of violence in the country, some analyses still present this event as a victory in Mexico’s so-called war on drugs, and even as a diplomatic achievement in the bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico. According to this argument, since the operation demonstrated the Mexican government’s ability to deliver results demanded by the United States, it can be interpreted as a success in Mexico’s efforts to appease its northern neighbour. (Transform, Drug Policy Foundation, UK, 14.04.2026)

https://transformdrugs.org/blog/the-war-on-drugs-cannot-be-won