Financial intelligence and a bilateral relationship to combat violence in Mexico

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Violence in Mexico not only persists but is evolving into increasingly brutal forms under the complicit gaze of Sheinbaum and her legislative lackeys. The recent revelation of a extermination camp in Teuchitlán, Jalisco, where hundreds of human remains have been found, is irrefutable proof that the country has been overtaken by criminal violence. Beyond the statistics, these findings reflect the decomposition of a State incapable of guaranteeing security and justice.

This is not an isolated case. In Guanajuato, Michoacán, Zacatecas, and Veracruz, hundreds of clandestine graves have been discovered in recent years. Impunity remains the norm: more than 95% of intentional homicides go unsolved. Violence is no longer just a problem in certain regions but a national phenomenon.

The figures behind the horror

In 2023, Mexico recorded more than 30,000 intentional homicides, which equates to an average of 82 murders a day. If this trend continues, by the end of Claudia Sheinbaum's term in 2030, Mexico could accumulate more than 180,000 additional murders.

However, if the security crisis worsens—as recent clashes, the growth of armed groups, and the expansion of drug trafficking have indicated—the figures could be even worse. Projections based on the recent increase in homicides in strategic areas of organized crime suggest that, with a 5% annual increase, by the end of the term we could surpass 200,000 additional murders.

Moreover, there is a factor that is often ignored in public discussion: money. Without a direct fight against the finances of organized crime, the cartels will continue to operate with total impunity.

Beyond force: financial intelligence and bilateral cooperation

Historically, Mexican governments have relied on militarized strategies to combat the cartels. However, this has only fragmented criminal organizations, generating more violence without solving the underlying problem. The only effective way to weaken criminal groups is by attacking their economic structure.

The cartels no longer only control drug trafficking; they have also diversified their income into illegal mining, illegal logging, human trafficking, extortion, protection rackets, and fuel theft. To combat them, a focus on financial and fiscal intelligence is essential to dismantle their economic networks.

Mexico must work hand in hand with the United States government to stop the flow of money and weapons that fuel the cartels. Real bilateral cooperation is required, where the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) identify, freeze, and confiscate the assets of criminal groups. This involves tracking shell companies, suspicious transactions, and money laundering networks operating in both banks and cryptocurrencies.

Additionally, it is crucial that the Tax Administration Service (SAT) and the Attorney General's Office (FGR) intensify audits and sanctions against businesses linked to organized crime. Without these efforts, the fight against violence will be an eternal war against enemies who never stop enriching themselves.

The immediate future: an overwhelmed State?

If the government doesn't change its security strategy, Mexico will face an even more violent scenario. Militarization has not solved the problem, and without decisive action against crime finances, the cartels will continue to grow.

The danger is evident: if the State doesn't regain control, we could see the total collapse of regions where the government no longer has any authority. States like Chiapas, where cartels have displaced entire communities, could become the new extermination zones. The same is true for the Bajío, where the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel continue their territorial war.

Mexico is already in a security crisis. What is at stake now is whether the country can contain it before it's too late.