Mexico's Kingpin Crackdowns: Why Every Drug Bust Triggers New Waves of Violence
This explainer traces how the fall of Mexico's most notorious cartel leaders-El Mencho, El Mayo, El Pichon, Don Rafa, and El Chapo-has repeatedly unleashed chaos instead of restoring order. From assassinations and city uprisings to turf wars and narco-blockades, each arrest or killing has triggered fresh violence, revealing a dangerous pattern: every kingpin removed only fuels the next cycle of cartel retaliation and regional instability.
