The arrest of Rafael Caro Quintero could cause an escalation of violence in the northern states of the country, specialists warned.
Catching large drug traffickers is something that is symbolically and mediatically very important for the Mexican State, the experts agreed, however, the above causes internal struggles.
After the re-apprehension of Rafael Caro Quintero, Eunice Rendón, coordinator of Red Viral, explained that the capture of the capo could bring movements and attacks by other criminal organizations through the territories he controlled.
The security specialist indicated that Sonora, the state in which the Caborca Cartel, an organization founded by Rafael Caro Quintero, operates, is an entity that has been “hot on this issue for several years.”
Vicente Sánchez Munguía, a researcher at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte, agrees with the foregoing, recalling that violence can also be attributed to this type of capture or beheading of the leadership of the organizations, an internal struggle begins within the organization itself to generate a new Leader.
The expert also in security matters considered that the criminal map of Sonora would not change, but acknowledged that there is a possibility that with the arrest of the founder of the Guadalajara and Caborca Cartel, the balance will tip for some other criminal group, since they could perceive it as a weakness or an opportunity to advance their pieces in the control of this territory.
“However, in this case, based on the information that is circulating, it is that the relatives were playing a very leading role in this organization and it is likely that this part has already been resolved in terms of who will be the successor to Rafael Caro Quintero. I think that if that leadership is established, there would be no expectations that there would be those outbreaks of violence that usually happen when this kind of thing happens, “he explained.
It is appropriate to mention that Caro Quintero was apprehended by members of the Secretary of the Navy on July 15, after being released in 2013, that is, he was a fugitive for nine years.
Relationship with the US
For both specialists, the arrest of this drug trafficker has great significance for the relationship between the United States and the Mexican government, in addition to becoming relevant after the visit of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to the White House.
Eunice Rendón referred that in recent years, with the arrival of Andrés Manuel López Obrador to the federal Executive, the bilateral relationship, especially that of cooperation in security matters, had not been able to be carried out in a close manner as it was done before.
He recalled that in the first years of this administration the Americans found it difficult to find who was going to be the interlocutor for security issues in the bilateral relationship.
To the above, Sánchez Munguía added that even the current administration limited the role of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in the country, after the case of Salvador Cienfuegos, former head of the Secretary of the Defending.
However, Rendón considered that the arrival of Joe Biden to the White House was important to try to retake some of the priority points for the US in terms of the bilateral relationship and security. He recognized that the issues of narcotics and the dismantling of groups are very important to Americans.
“This, at the beginning of Andrés Manuel’s six-year term, it seemed that it was not going to be a relevant point. However, over the years, with the situation as it is, I think that perhaps this is a message that it has been decided to resume closer collaboration. It will be important to see what happens with the Bicentennial Understanding in the coming months,” said the specialist.
“DEA does not forget”
Sánchez Munguía indicated that the security agencies in the US, such as the DEA, keep in mind the debt that the murder of Enrique Kiki Camarena represents.
It must be considered that the pre-election moment in the US is a good gift that the Mexican government gives to the Biden government. He gives himself to a character who is emblematic in terms of what the fight against drug trafficking has meant for history, ”he indicated.
In November 2020, the DEA placed Caro Quintero in the first position in a list of the 10 most wanted and offered a reward of 20 million dollars for him.
Embassy of the United States to its citizens
After arrest, they issue an alert
The US Embassy in Mexico issued a travel alert for US citizens to avoid traveling to Sonora and Sinaloa due to possible acts of violence.
In a security alert issued by the embassy last Friday, it was indicated that “there is the possibility of clashes between criminal organizations and Mexican security forces in Sinaloa, based on reports of the arrest of a prominent cartel leader.” the foregoing in reference to the arrest of Rafael Caro Quintero, nicknamed the drug trafficker and founder of the Guadalajara and Caborca Cartel.
The US embassy indicated that citizens of the American Union “should expect to find a greater Mexican police presence in both Sinaloa and Sonora.”
He referred that due to the criminal presence, the murder events linked to members of organized crime and the territorial disputes can cause passers-by to be injured or killed.
The government of the northern neighbor detailed that the alert for Sinaloa is level 4, which is equivalent to “do not travel due to crime and kidnapping”, while the level for Sonora is level 3, which means that US citizens must “reconsider traveling due to crimes and kidnappings.
As recommendations, the embassy indicated that “a high level of vigilance” and a low profile be maintained. (Drafting)
