U.S. Citizen Takes Helm of Mexico's Most Powerful Drug Cartel
Source: wsj.com
- A 41-year-old American born in California now leads Mexico's top drug cartel after his stepfather's death.
- The new leader, Juan Carlos Valencia González, enjoys U.S. constitutional protections that shield him from easy targeting.
- His rise complicates American efforts to dismantle the cartel through arrests or extraditions.
An American citizen has stepped up to run the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico's most powerful drug trafficking group, right after the burial of its longtime boss, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera. This shift hands the cartel leadership to the Valencia family dynasty from western Mexico. It creates headaches for U.S. anti-drug operations because targeting a U.S. citizen triggers legal hurdles not faced by other cartel heads.