The Escalating Cartel Crisis & America’s Security Risks
The very first Dead Drop article with many more to come!
EVOLVING CARTEL THREATS
The landscape of cartel operations is evolving rapidly, and with it the risks to U.S. security at home and abroad. Recent events highlight how both clandestine deals and direct military actions are reshaping the fight against organized crime.
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GUZMAN FAMILY SURRENDERS
One of the most notable developments occurred when seventeen members of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s family crossed into the United States through Tijuana and surrendered to U.S. authorities. This group included his ex-wife Griselda López Pérez and a daughter. Reports indicate that their surrender was connected to a negotiated deal involving El Chapo’s son, Ovidio Guzmán López, who faces trial in Chicago. The decision to allow this family entry into the U.S. raised suspicion of a political agreement and triggered criticism from Mexican officials who said they were not notified. Such moves suggest shifting alliances and potentially undermine the rule of law while emboldening cartel actors.
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U.S. KINETIC STRIKE
At the same time, U.S. military actions have escalated the fight. On September 2, 2025, American forces sank a suspected Venezuelan drug boat in the southern Caribbean. The strike killed eleven people and was justified by designating the Venezuelan group Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. The attack was a significant departure from traditional interdiction, where vessels are seized and suspects are taken into custody. Instead, the U.S. conducted a kinetic strike, treating the smugglers as enemy combatants.
ESCALATION & DEBATE
Defense leaders framed the event as the beginning of a new phase in anti-cartel operations. The deployment of eight U.S. warships and ten F-35 fighters to Puerto Rico further demonstrates a military-first posture. This approach has drawn both support and criticism. Trinidad and Tobago praised the strike and called for more aggressive action against traffickers. Legal experts, however, have questioned whether such operations overstep constitutional limits and international law, noting that designating cartels as terrorist groups does not automatically grant unlimited executive authority to conduct lethal strikes.
Legal and Diplomatic Risks
The implications are serious. The militarization of counter-cartel efforts risks sparking wider regional conflicts and straining diplomatic ties with Latin America. Within the U.S., it raises questions about legal precedent, executive authority, and the balance between security and rule of law. Meanwhile, the surrender of Guzmán family members under a possible plea deal casts doubt on the transparency of U.S. policy toward the cartels.
RISING INSTABILITY
Combined, these events suggest that America’s security environment is becoming more unstable. The blurred lines between law enforcement, diplomacy, and military power create a dangerous environment that could heighten cartel retaliation, increase infiltration at the border, and erode trust in government institutions. What emerges is a picture of a nation confronting its adversaries with both negotiations and firepower, but without a clear strategy that ensures long-term stability.
~ Mike Glover
Mexico News Daily – El Chapo family members turn themselves in (2025)
CBS News – Sinaloa cartel leader’s family enters U.S. under reported deal (2025)
Los Angeles Times – Seventeen members of El Chapo’s family escorted into U.S. (2025)
Snopes – Trump administration and cartel family entry fact check (2025)
Reuters – U.S. military kills 11 in strike on Venezuelan drug boat (2025)
Washington Post – U.S. strike on drug boat raises national security questions (2025)
The Guardian – Trump sends fighter planes to Puerto Rico in cartel war (2025)
Wall Street Journal – Did a Caribbean boat strike exceed Trump’s authority (2025)
Just Security – Legal analysis of U.S. military attack in the Caribbean (2025)
New York Post – Trump considering military strikes inside Venezuela (2025)