Sebastián Incháustegui, an attorney at Universidad Panamericana, said that cartel violence and influence are at peak levels as Mexico recently passed an amendment potentially giving cartels more power over the country’s judicial system. Incháustegui made this statement on September 19.
"Meanwhile, organized crime and violence are at an all-time high," said Sebastián Incháustegui," said Incháustegui. "Just this week, a significant city in the north of the country has been in a constant state of emergency and shock due to the open conflict between two of the country's biggest cartels. AMLO's security strategy has been heavily criticized as his hugs, not bullets policy (or lack thereof) has resulted in shameful results. Allowing a growing unease about his relationship with Joaquín “Chapo” Guzmán began with his odd and controverted visit to Badiguarato (where Chapo is from)."
According to Incháustegui, former President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) pushed through a constitutional amendment that dismantles the Consejo de la Judicatura Federal (CJF), a body that previously ensured the judiciary’s independence. Now, judges and their supervisors will be directly overseen by the executive and legislative branches. "This significantly affected the core values of the constitutional design of the Mexican republic and offset the power balance, which allowed the Court to become the firmest check on AMLO’s presidentialist tendencies," he said.
The amendment comes at a time when Mexican drug cartels are gaining power and influence, while in-fighting between top cartels continues. With AMLO's judiciary reform enabling the direct election of judges, there are concerns that cartel influence will permeate the judicial appointment process, allowing organized crime to wield greater control over legal outcomes. Additionally, Genaro García Luna, a former security official, accused AMLO's administration of collaborating with cartels.
Geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan noted that in-fighting within the Sinaloa Cartel, once Mexico's dominant crime organization, is escalating and could spread across Mexico and into the U.S., according to Straight Arrow News. Recent violence in Sinaloa state has claimed at least 70 lives, mainly in Culiacán, with clashes between cartel members and police, including road blockades and shootouts. "The fighting is currently the worst in Sinaloa state but is expected to spread throughout Mexico and even spill into the U.S.," Zeihan said.
Incháustegui is also a Juris Doctor candidate at Columbia University in New York, according to information from the Wilson Center.
