EL TIPO DE CAMBIO DE HOY ES DE: .
24 de febrero, 2026
Much like with the Maduro operation, the Trump administration played a decisive role behind the long-awaited elimination of “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG). The Mexican military carried out the operation with strategic intelligence support from U.S. agencies, marking a historic turning point in the fight against narcoterrorism. More than a tactical victory, it sent a clear message: the United States is no longer willing to tolerate cartel violence, human trafficking, and the deadly flow of fentanyl into American communities.
President Trump’s involvement reflects a broader homeland security doctrine that treats cartel networks not simply as criminal enterprises but as direct national security threats. Fentanyl overdoses have devastated families, illegal migration pipelines have strained local systems, and transnational gangs have operated with near impunity along the southern border. The administration’s aggressive posture signals a shift away from policies critics argue enabled cartels through weak enforcement and diplomatic hesitation. Instead, Trump’s approach embraces a “mano dura” strategy grounded in deterrence, intelligence coordination, and sustained pressure on governments unwilling or unable to confront criminal power structures.
Why This Is Important
Safer neighborhoods, stronger borders, and strategic alliances remain central goals of President Trump’s foreign policy, which is precisely why the fall of “El Mencho” carries significance far beyond one operation. It represents one of the clearest demonstrations yet of what a mano dura strategy against narcoterrorism looks like when executed with coordination, intelligence precision, and political will. Many analysts see this moment as part of a modern revival of the Monroe Doctrine, reframed through the so-called “Donroe Doctrine” or Trump Doctrine, which prioritizes American leadership in the Western Hemisphere and rejects the idea that cartel violence and transnational crime are problems the United States should simply manage from afar.
But this is not only about geopolitics. The consequences are felt directly at home. Cartels like CJNG are responsible for trafficking pipelines that fuel fentanyl overdoses, human smuggling operations, and illegal migration networks that ultimately reach American cities. Weakening cartel leadership abroad strengthens homeland security by disrupting the infrastructure behind drug distribution and trafficking routes that have devastated families across the country. This operation represents a long-overdue shift away from policies long believed to enable criminal networks through weak enforcement and diplomatic hesitation.
The broader implication is clear: this is not merely a military victory but a symbolic reset for the Western Hemisphere that directly impacts American safety. Removing a figure like “El Mencho” sends a message that the United States will no longer tolerate narcoterrorism that results in the deaths of American citizens or the exploitation of vulnerable migrants along cartel-controlled routes. It also demonstrates that decisive leadership and intelligence cooperation can force long-delayed action from regional governments that critics argue had previously been unwilling or too compromised to confront these networks decisively.
What This Means for Western Hemispheric Relations
Stronger enforcement cooperation also exposed a hard truth that many in Washington don’t want to admit – without the Trump administration’s intelligence and pressure, Mexico likely would have never carried out an operation like this. Trump’s strategy forced action and proved that when strong American leadership steps in, even governments struggling with corruption and paralysis can finally move against narcoterrorism. For years, Mexico’s government has battled deep internal corruption, weak political leadership, and officials who critics argue have been bought, threatened, or influenced by cartel power structures. The capability was always there, but the political will simply wasn’t. Until Mexico confronts the reality that its own institutions have been compromised from within, real change will remain difficult.
Beyond Mexico, Cuba becomes relevant because this is Trump playing chess, not checkers. Weakening cartel networks and pressuring regimes like Venezuela isn’t random. It’s part of a bigger strategy to cut off the same authoritarian influence that has allowed illegal migration, narcoterrorism, and anti-American actors to thrive across the region for years. Cuba has long operated as a political and ideological anchor for leftist movements in Latin America, often aligning with adversaries like China and Russia while instability spills north toward the United States. By taking a harder line across the hemisphere, Trump is signaling that the days of letting Havana quietly benefit from regional chaos are over. The goal remains reestablishing American strength in its own backyard, stopping dangerous drugs and trafficking pipelines before they reach our borders, and reminding the world that the United States is back to leading, not silently letting our adversaries pass us by.
Ultimately, the fall of “El Mencho” marks more than the removal of a most-wanted narcoterrorist. It signals a decisive shift in how the United States is reclaiming leadership across the Western Hemisphere. Trump’s approach leaves little room for ambiguity. Strong intelligence coordination, unapologetic enforcement, and a refusal to tolerate narcoterrorism are no longer optional. They are the foundation of a renewed American strategy. For Americans at home and allies watching abroad, the message is clear: the era of cartels operating with impunity and governments hiding behind political hesitation is coming to an end. The United States is no longer reacting to chaos in its own backyard. It is setting the rules of the world’s game again for generations to come.
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24 de febrero, 2026
Much like with the Maduro operation, the Trump administration played a decisive role behind the long-awaited elimination of “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG). The Mexican military carried out the operation with strategic intelligence support from U.S. agencies, marking a historic turning point in the fight against narcoterrorism. More than a tactical victory, it sent a clear message: the United States is no longer willing to tolerate cartel violence, human trafficking, and the deadly flow of fentanyl into American communities.
President Trump’s involvement reflects a broader homeland security doctrine that treats cartel networks not simply as criminal enterprises but as direct national security threats. Fentanyl overdoses have devastated families, illegal migration pipelines have strained local systems, and transnational gangs have operated with near impunity along the southern border. The administration’s aggressive posture signals a shift away from policies critics argue enabled cartels through weak enforcement and diplomatic hesitation. Instead, Trump’s approach embraces a “mano dura” strategy grounded in deterrence, intelligence coordination, and sustained pressure on governments unwilling or unable to confront criminal power structures.
Why This Is Important
Safer neighborhoods, stronger borders, and strategic alliances remain central goals of President Trump’s foreign policy, which is precisely why the fall of “El Mencho” carries significance far beyond one operation. It represents one of the clearest demonstrations yet of what a mano dura strategy against narcoterrorism looks like when executed with coordination, intelligence precision, and political will. Many analysts see this moment as part of a modern revival of the Monroe Doctrine, reframed through the so-called “Donroe Doctrine” or Trump Doctrine, which prioritizes American leadership in the Western Hemisphere and rejects the idea that cartel violence and transnational crime are problems the United States should simply manage from afar.
But this is not only about geopolitics. The consequences are felt directly at home. Cartels like CJNG are responsible for trafficking pipelines that fuel fentanyl overdoses, human smuggling operations, and illegal migration networks that ultimately reach American cities. Weakening cartel leadership abroad strengthens homeland security by disrupting the infrastructure behind drug distribution and trafficking routes that have devastated families across the country. This operation represents a long-overdue shift away from policies long believed to enable criminal networks through weak enforcement and diplomatic hesitation.
The broader implication is clear: this is not merely a military victory but a symbolic reset for the Western Hemisphere that directly impacts American safety. Removing a figure like “El Mencho” sends a message that the United States will no longer tolerate narcoterrorism that results in the deaths of American citizens or the exploitation of vulnerable migrants along cartel-controlled routes. It also demonstrates that decisive leadership and intelligence cooperation can force long-delayed action from regional governments that critics argue had previously been unwilling or too compromised to confront these networks decisively.
What This Means for Western Hemispheric Relations
Stronger enforcement cooperation also exposed a hard truth that many in Washington don’t want to admit – without the Trump administration’s intelligence and pressure, Mexico likely would have never carried out an operation like this. Trump’s strategy forced action and proved that when strong American leadership steps in, even governments struggling with corruption and paralysis can finally move against narcoterrorism. For years, Mexico’s government has battled deep internal corruption, weak political leadership, and officials who critics argue have been bought, threatened, or influenced by cartel power structures. The capability was always there, but the political will simply wasn’t. Until Mexico confronts the reality that its own institutions have been compromised from within, real change will remain difficult.
Beyond Mexico, Cuba becomes relevant because this is Trump playing chess, not checkers. Weakening cartel networks and pressuring regimes like Venezuela isn’t random. It’s part of a bigger strategy to cut off the same authoritarian influence that has allowed illegal migration, narcoterrorism, and anti-American actors to thrive across the region for years. Cuba has long operated as a political and ideological anchor for leftist movements in Latin America, often aligning with adversaries like China and Russia while instability spills north toward the United States. By taking a harder line across the hemisphere, Trump is signaling that the days of letting Havana quietly benefit from regional chaos are over. The goal remains reestablishing American strength in its own backyard, stopping dangerous drugs and trafficking pipelines before they reach our borders, and reminding the world that the United States is back to leading, not silently letting our adversaries pass us by.
Ultimately, the fall of “El Mencho” marks more than the removal of a most-wanted narcoterrorist. It signals a decisive shift in how the United States is reclaiming leadership across the Western Hemisphere. Trump’s approach leaves little room for ambiguity. Strong intelligence coordination, unapologetic enforcement, and a refusal to tolerate narcoterrorism are no longer optional. They are the foundation of a renewed American strategy. For Americans at home and allies watching abroad, the message is clear: the era of cartels operating with impunity and governments hiding behind political hesitation is coming to an end. The United States is no longer reacting to chaos in its own backyard. It is setting the rules of the world’s game again for generations to come.
