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Why Mexican cartels are increasingly using car bombs and other explosives
PBS • • world
Key Points:
- Mexican drug cartels, notably the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel, are increasingly using car bombs, drones with explosives, and improvised explosive devices, escalating violence in regions like Zacatecas.
- A recent car bomb attack in Ojocaliente, Zacatecas, injured 11 people and damaged over 60 homes, marking one of 23 explosive-related attacks recorded in the state this year.
- The use of explosives by cartels has intensified over the past five years, with tactics including drone-dropped bombs and roadside explosives, resulting in numerous casualties and heightened security concerns.
- Experts note that cartels employ car bombs primarily to intimidate rivals and authorities, exert pressure on the government, and spread fear among civilians, though Mexico resists labeling such violence as terrorism due to political and economic implications.
- The U.S. has designated several Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a move that complicates the discourse around cartel violence and influences potential military actions, despite debates over the appropriateness of counterterrorism strategies for organized crime.
