The recent drug cartel violence that exploded in Jalisco and Guanajuato was repeated two days later on Mexico’s northern border, with arson attacks on convenience stores and vehicles, as well as random shootings, reported in Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada, Tecate, Rosarito and Ciudad Juarez.
While it appears that the two waves of violence just days apart were triggered by the targeting of cartel leaders, analysts seem to agree that one of the main aims of the carnage is to generate chaos and fear among the Mexican population. The violence in Jalisco and Guanajuato was sparked following an armed confrontation involving the military, after which it was reported that a high-ranking member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) had been detained. This was later denied by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who confirmed that the CJNG leader in question, Ricardo Ruiz, alias “El Doble R,” had managed to escape during the confrontation.