Natalie Kitroweth

Well, these guys that we're talking to are saying, look, the main thing that has changed from when you were here last is that Trump is in office and he's making all of these threats. And the Mexican government is cracking down like never before. Obviously, the Mexican authorities were on the streets before this. It's not like they weren't doing anything.

Well, these guys that we're talking to are saying, look, the main thing that has changed from when you were here last is that Trump is in office and he's making all of these threats. And the Mexican government is cracking down like never before. Obviously, the Mexican authorities were on the streets before this. It's not like they weren't doing anything.

But the cartel members say they're feeling the heat at a much higher level.

But the cartel members say they're feeling the heat at a much higher level.

Yeah, I think that's what it looks like to a lot of people, a lot of regular Mexicans, a lot of cartel members and a lot of security experts who have been studying this for a long time. Now, we have to keep in mind, Claudia Shainbaum, the new president, had come into office about a month before Trump was elected and then eventually started making these threats.

Yeah, I think that's what it looks like to a lot of people, a lot of regular Mexicans, a lot of cartel members and a lot of security experts who have been studying this for a long time. Now, we have to keep in mind, Claudia Shainbaum, the new president, had come into office about a month before Trump was elected and then eventually started making these threats.

So she had signaled early on that she was more willing to take on the cartel's head on aggressively than her predecessor. So we don't know how much of this might have happened without Trump anyway, because she was willing to change the approach. But I think it's pretty clear that the amount of progress, arrests, raids, lab busts, the pace of these actions is

So she had signaled early on that she was more willing to take on the cartel's head on aggressively than her predecessor. So we don't know how much of this might have happened without Trump anyway, because she was willing to change the approach. But I think it's pretty clear that the amount of progress, arrests, raids, lab busts, the pace of these actions is

is something that we've not seen in recent history in Mexico. One analyst told us, we've seen in one month what we might have seen in years.

is something that we've not seen in recent history in Mexico. One analyst told us, we've seen in one month what we might have seen in years.

Yeah, I mean, obviously the threat of military intervention in any way, even if it's just targeted strikes, is anathema in Mexico. But the threat of tariffs has long seemed much more credible.

Yeah, I mean, obviously the threat of military intervention in any way, even if it's just targeted strikes, is anathema in Mexico. But the threat of tariffs has long seemed much more credible.

I have to say, of the two, I think the tariff threat is the one that really spurs the action because there's a deadline. I mean, last month, Trump essentially gave the Mexican government 30 days to show results on security, to deliver him the progress he wanted to see on fentanyl. And

I have to say, of the two, I think the tariff threat is the one that really spurs the action because there's a deadline. I mean, last month, Trump essentially gave the Mexican government 30 days to show results on security, to deliver him the progress he wanted to see on fentanyl. And

When there's a deadline, I mean, people hustle to meet that deadline, especially if, you know, on the other side of that is potential economic ruin. So I do think that was really motivating here.

When there's a deadline, I mean, people hustle to meet that deadline, especially if, you know, on the other side of that is potential economic ruin. So I do think that was really motivating here.

Well, the leaders in Mexico are just absolutely baffled about these tariffs. They do not understand why they're getting punished after having delivered so many wins for Trump on security. I mean, just days ago, the Mexican government handed over 29 drug lords that the U.S. government had been seeking to prosecute in the United States. These are major figures that had been given over to the U.S.

Well, the leaders in Mexico are just absolutely baffled about these tariffs. They do not understand why they're getting punished after having delivered so many wins for Trump on security. I mean, just days ago, the Mexican government handed over 29 drug lords that the U.S. government had been seeking to prosecute in the United States. These are major figures that had been given over to the U.S.

government. And the Mexicans are saying, wait a minute. We've gone hard on these cartels. We've given you these capos. What more could we possibly do? Well, what's the answer?

government. And the Mexicans are saying, wait a minute. We've gone hard on these cartels. We've given you these capos. What more could we possibly do? Well, what's the answer?