As industries like manufacturing ramp up between Mexico and the US, how will the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels factor into that equation?

These two cartels operate very differently. The Sinaloa treat their operation like a business, and violence is a means to an end. Jalisco New Generation treats violence and fear as an essential part of their operation.

Despite their violent tendencies, the cartels (1) are uninterested in the complexities of manufacturing, (2) lack the necessary skills to disrupt that sector (from the participant side of things, anyway), and (3) would rather target “easy to manipulate” businesses.

So far, issues caused by the cartels have been relatively manageable. The real risk lies in the power struggle between these two cartels and how that could reshape perspectives on US-Mexico trade.