Cartels’ Deadly Grip on Michoacan Reveals Failed Government Promises and Growing Threats

In the hills of Michoacan, Mexico, drug cartels do more than traffic drugs—they choke an entire region’s economy, terrorize its people, and mock governmental authority. The recent killings of Carlos Manzo, an outspoken mayor fighting the cartels, and Bernardo Bravo, a lime growers’ advocate exposing extortion schemes, reveal the stark reality: organized crime rules Michoacan while authorities stand largely powerless or unwilling to stop them. Can Mexico’s Authorities Break the Cartels’ Iron Grip? Manzo’s assassination in a crowded town square sends a chilling message not only to Michoacan but directly to American policymakers watching from across the border. Here is...