“It’s all STAGED!” - Top Cartel Journalist EXPOSES El Mencho’s Assassination | Kat Szulc • 392
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Journalist Kat Szulc found significant inconsistencies at El Mencho's alleged death site, including intact buildings and vehicles despite numerous bullet casings.
- ❖The lack of internal power struggles within CJNG after El Mencho's reported death is highly unusual, suggesting a planned succession, likely by his stepson El Cerot.
- ❖The US 'kingpin strategy' is criticized as ineffective, often leading to more violence and the rise of more dangerous successors.
- ❖Ryan Wedding, a Canadian drug trafficker, surrendered to US authorities after personal leverage was applied, not due to a direct capture or betrayal by Chapitos.
- ❖Mexican cartels are actively recruiting Colombian mercenaries who gained combat experience and drone tactics fighting in Ukraine.
- ❖Russian propaganda attempts to twist reporting on Ukrainian-trained mercenaries to claim Ukraine is arming cartels.
Insights
1El Mencho's Death Site Exhibited Staged Inconsistencies
Kat Szulc's on-site investigation of El Mencho's alleged compound in Tapalpa, Jalisco, days after his reported death, revealed numerous red flags. Houses showed no bullet holes despite abundant 50-caliber shell casings. Vehicles in the supposed firefight zone were undamaged, and personal belongings, including a watermelon, appeared weeks old, not days. This suggests the scene was fabricated or heavily manipulated.
Szulc's personal observations and video footage from the compound (, , , , ).
2Lack of CJNG Infighting Points to a Pre-Arranged Succession
Contrary to typical cartel dynamics following a leader's death, there was no significant internal power struggle or splintering within CJNG after El Mencho's reported demise. Szulc notes this is highly unusual and suggests a pre-determined successor, likely El Cerot (El Mencho's stepson), backed by the powerful Valencia family (Los Queenies), who provided historical power and funding to CJNG.
Szulc's analysis of cartel behavior (, , ) and the historical role of the Valencia family ().
3Mexican Cartels Recruit Ukraine-Trained Colombian Mercenaries
Mexican cartels are exploiting the war in Ukraine by recruiting Colombian mercenaries who have gained advanced combat skills, including drone tactics and frontline warfare. These mercenaries, often lured by higher pay than Ukraine offers, are then deployed to Mexico to fight rival cartels. Ukraine's SBU launched an investigation into private military companies facilitating this pipeline, with Russian propaganda attempting to twist the narrative.
Szulc's reporting from Ukraine, including interviews with mercenaries and observations at a POW camp (, , ).
4Ryan Wedding's Surrender Was Coerced, Not a Betrayal
Canadian drug trafficker Ryan Wedding, a high-value target for the US, surrendered to authorities after the US government leveraged something personal against him. This contradicts rumors of betrayal by the Chapitos or a direct capture. His speedy trial in federal court (March 24th after a January arrest) further suggests a pre-arranged agreement.
Szulc's direct knowledge of the situation () and the timeline of Wedding's legal proceedings ().
Bottom Line
The staging of El Mencho's death scene, combined with the lack of infighting, suggests a highly coordinated information operation by the Mexican government, potentially in collaboration with CJNG, to satisfy US demands without destabilizing the cartel's internal power structure.
This implies a deeper level of corruption and strategic alliance between elements of the Mexican government and cartels than publicly acknowledged, where official narratives are crafted to manage international perception rather than reflect reality.
Investigate the specific individuals within the Mexican government and CJNG who would benefit from such a staged event, and explore how this 'managed conflict' impacts regional stability and US anti-drug policies.
The recruitment of Ukraine-trained Colombian mercenaries by Mexican cartels represents a significant upgrade in cartel combat capabilities, introducing advanced warfare tactics and drone technology to the drug war.
This escalation could lead to more sophisticated and deadly conflicts within Mexico, posing a greater challenge to law enforcement and potentially increasing civilian casualties. It also highlights the global interconnectedness of conflict zones and criminal enterprises.
Develop intelligence programs specifically tracking the movement of foreign mercenaries from global conflict zones to Mexico, and analyze the impact of their advanced training on cartel operations and the overall security landscape.
Opportunities
Cartel-themed merchandise (Narco-Merch)
CJNG successfully built a 'brand' through narco-corridos and media. A legitimate, albeit dark, business idea could be to leverage this 'brand-building' expertise to create and sell merchandise, tapping into the fascination with cartel culture. The guest notes that if CJNG 'were to have sold merch, it would have been amazing.'
Key Concepts
Kingpin Strategy
A law enforcement approach focused on targeting and removing the top leader (kingpin) of a criminal organization. Kat Szulc critiques this strategy as 'completely ineffective,' often leading to a 'hydra effect' where two worse leaders emerge, causing more violence and power struggles.
Hydra Effect
A phenomenon where attempts to dismantle a criminal organization by removing its leader result in the group fragmenting into multiple, often more violent and unpredictable, factions. This is cited as a common outcome of the 'kingpin strategy,' as seen in the Sinaloa cartel after El Chapo's capture.
Lessons
- Critically evaluate official government reports and media narratives, especially concerning high-stakes events like cartel leader takedowns, looking for inconsistencies and underlying political motivations.
- Recognize the global interconnectedness of criminal organizations and conflict zones, understanding that events in one region can have direct, tactical impacts on criminal operations elsewhere.
- Support independent investigative journalism that goes on-site to verify claims and challenge official stories, as this provides crucial, unvarnished insights into complex geopolitical and criminal realities.
Notable Moments
Kat Szulc describes her frustration and anger upon realizing the El Mencho death scene was staged, feeling insulted by the obvious manipulation.
This highlights the emotional toll and ethical challenges faced by journalists trying to uncover truth in highly controlled and deceptive environments, reinforcing the severity of the alleged cover-up.
The host and guest discuss the absurdity of Cash Patel's public persona and his involvement in Ryan Wedding's capture, including his 'cringey' public statements.
This moment injects humor and critical commentary on political figures, contrasting their public image with the serious implications of their actions in sensitive operations.
Szulc recounts an incident at a Ukrainian POW camp where guards tried to stage a 'recreational room' scene for her, with prisoners sitting silently in front of an unplugged TV.
This illustrates the pervasive nature of propaganda and image management even in war zones, and the challenges journalists face in obtaining authentic information under controlled conditions.
Quotes
"I'm under the impression that it's possible that a lot of money got pocketed during the operation. And we've seen that happen a lot before where there's like, you know, empty Rolex boxes."
"The kingpin strategy is completely ineffective and it ends up it's like a hydra. Like you chop off the head and two worse ones grow back."
"It's inarguable. There's a bunch of bullet casings with no holes, no blood, and the house looks like... So, who were they shooting at?"
"If you kill the witness, the case will be dismissed."
Q&A
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