Link to article: https://apnews.com/article/ruben-oseguera-el-menchito-cartel-1223f022ecba694bbd647fc406725d93
On Friday Rubén Oseguera, known as El Menchito, whom is the son of fugitive Jalisco New Generation cartel (otherwise known as Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion) boss Nemesio Oseguera was sentenced to life in prison for helping his father run one of the country’s largest and most violent narcotics trafficking cartels. Menchito had initially signed a plea agreement with the government but ultimately elected to go to trial instead. Menchito had been working as second in command for seven years before he was extradited to the US in February 2020. He had originally been sentenced 40 years to life since it was noted that he was only 14 when he was recruited to join into the “family business”. He also had to forfeit over $6 billion in proceeds from the cartel’s drug trafficking. His father, however, still remains at large with a $15 million reward set in place for anyone who may know his whereabouts.
This situation is a great example of how organized crime leads to conflicts. Prosecutors have noted that Osuego has ordered the killing of at least least 100 people, personally killed at least six people and ordered subordinates to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter, killing at least nine people. So although drug cartels are not directly bombing or fighting anyone, their illegal activities incite all sorts of violence and chaos. Along with that, States banned these activities for a reason. It was a compelling state reason. So if the states deem these activities unsafe to be happening within their boundaries it makes sense that it is causing chaos. The opiod epidemic happening with the United States right now is proof of that. Peoples addictions to these drugs has increased the illegal activities and therefore made the conflict worse off. Osuego’s prosecutor even called him a terrorist, comparing his acts and their affect to that similar of what a terrorist would do.