On Monday, Juan Gerardo Treviño, also known as “El Huevo” or “The Egg”, was arrested by the Mexican military on suspicion of large scale drug trafficking charges as well as several other serious criminal offenses. He was then deported to the United States since he is a U.S. citizen and on an American “wanted” list. In the U.S. he faces charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. However, in Mexico, in addition to those charges he is accused of murder, terrorism, extortion and criminal association. The arrest was met with violent retaliation from Trevino’s gang, known as the Northeast Cartel. Gunfire broke out early on Monday in the city of Nuevo Laredo which sits on the Mexico-U.S. border opposite Laredo, Texas. The ministry of public security in the state of Tamaulipas said in a statement that along with the gun fighting, the cartel blockaded the streets with spike strips and set fire to trailer trucks. This caused damage to 38 Mexican government facilities and 22 military headquarters as well as the U.S. consulate which was forced to temporarily close due to the violence. In order to take back control of the city, BBC reported that the Mexican military needed approximately 700 military troops and four helicopters. 

Reuters reports a statement made by Rosa Rodriguez, Mexico’s secretary of security in a press conference following the Monday attacks: “It was a blow to one of the most important criminal organizations in the northeast of the country, with influence in at least five states and operations in the United States,”. Despite the violent retaliation, this arrest marked a major victory for the Mexican and U.S. authorities. 

Despite the overall base success of the operation, it instigated violence against thousands of uninvolved people caught in between the gunfire. The sheer size of the retaliatory assault shows how much power the Northeast Cartel and cartels in general have within the state of Tamaulipas. Even as a splinter group of a former larger cartel, the Northeast Cartel is able to operate extensively. It also points to a fear which many will not want to address.

As much as both the U.S. and Mexican government works to arrest and take down major cartel leaders, the deep seeded infrastructure in the Mexican drug trade allows for another leader to quickly regain power. In order for real meaningful change to take place in Mexico, measures must be taken to address the causes of the drug trade. Bilateral relations between the U.S. and Mexico must be further improved. Instead of passing the border issues which are heavily related to or influenced by the drug trade back and forth between governments, permanent cooperation via increased economic and political partnership is vital. By combatting more root core reasons for the drug trade, it will change the issues from the source. 

Much of the infrastructure can be traced back to the times of prohibition and inflammatory relations between the U.S. and Mexico. The long term power held by illegal smuggling operations has also contributed to the corruption and weak rule of law in many parts of Mexico. Violence within the state of Tamaulipas is by no means new nor unheard of. This region of Mexico bordering the U.S. is known for violent killings and disappearances, many times linked to powerful drug cartels. Migrants also flow through Tamaulipas on their way to the Texan border and are regularly victimized by the cartels as the cartels battle for territory. The Northeast Cartel is a splinter group from the infamous larger gang Los Zetas which disbanded after their leader, Miguel Angel Treviño Morales, the uncle of “El Huevo”, was arrested in 2013. Los Zetas became especially famous for their horrific torture methods and decapitations. 

The arrest of the Mexican cartel leader,  Juan Gerardo Treviño or “El Huevo”, is inarguably a major victory for both countries’ authorities. However, it came at a very real human cost. In order to avoid further violence while still combating the drug trade, other diplomatic measures must be taken between both countries.