Decapitating cartels? Mexico leans into ‘kingpin strategy’ but at a cost
Summary
After the arrest of cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada in July 2024, violence and disappearances increased sharply in Mexico's Sinaloa region. The strategy of targeting cartel leaders, known as the "kingpin strategy," has led to more power struggles and violence, causing harm to local communities.Key Facts
- Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, cofounder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested in Texas in July 2024.
- After his arrest, reports of murders, femicides, and disappearances rose significantly in Sinaloa.
- Homicides increased from 44 in August 2024 to 142 in September 2024.
- In 2025, 1,657 people were killed in the region.
- The group Sabuesos Guerreras estimates over 5,800 people disappeared after July 2024, likely more.
- The "kingpin strategy" focuses on arresting or killing cartel leaders to weaken criminal groups.
- Critics say this strategy causes cartels to split into smaller violent factions and does not stop crime or corruption.
- Mexico has used this strategy for 20 years in its ongoing "war on drugs" without fully dismantling cartels.
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