A former Sinaloa cartel insider recently claimed the Trump administration’s pressure campaign has shaken up the cartel landscape more than any effort in decades. Investigative journalist Katarina Szulc, host of the Borderland podcast and author of the Substack Send News, told Chicago’s Morning Answer that the claim holds weight.
According to Szulc, the designation of Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year gave U.S. authorities unprecedented power to target cartel finances. Coupled with a series of under-the-table transfers of high-level figures into U.S. custody, the strategy has disrupted traditional cartel protections. She cited the case of Ovidio Guzmán, son of El Chapo, who was moved into American custody and is now cooperating in exchange for leniency.
While cartel leaders may be worried about extraditions, Szulc noted that corrupt officials in Mexico remain largely insulated. President Claudia Sheinbaum has publicly dismissed concerns about revelations of government ties to organized crime. Behind the scenes, however, Szulc said Mexico has given Washington a “wide-open back door” to pursue cartel targets—suggesting an unspoken arrangement between both governments.
As for border security, Szulc argued that southern crackdowns had only modest impact. Cartels simply shifted operations north, taking advantage of Canada’s historically lax policies. Fentanyl, cocaine, and meth continue to flow, often bypassing traditional smuggling routes. The real game-changer, she said, has been the surprise extraditions that force cartel figures to cooperate.
On the possibility of U.S. military operations in Mexico, Szulc was skeptical. Cartel leaders and Mexican officials largely view the threats as political posturing. But if special forces were ever deployed, she warned, cartels have stockpiles of advanced weapons and would resist—even if the outcome was inevitable. For now, their strategy is to “wait out” the crackdown, hoping for a political shift in Washington.