Introduction
This week, a series of events unfolded in Guanajuato, Jalisco, and Michoacán, involving vehicle burnings, truck blockades, road closures, and convenience store shutdowns across at least 30 municipalities. Additionally, passenger buses were set ablaze in various locations of Los Cabos, Baja California Sur. These incidents have raised significant concerns about the territorial control developed by criminal groups over the past few years.
Official vs. Unofficial Accounts
While official accounts explained these events as turf wars between two criminal groups vying for territory, unofficial versions speculate that it could have been an attempted capture of a regional leader. Regardless, the rapid deployment and firepower demonstrated by these groups reveal that their understanding of territorial operations has evolved over time.
Evolution of Criminal Territorial Learning
The passing years have allowed criminal groups to master territorial expansion and control, turning it into a core aspect of their criminal logic. By comprehending the value of strategic spaces, illicit trafficking routes, and illegal economic management, these groups gain a significant advantage in deploying and distributing forces against rivals or law enforcement.
Beyond Route Control: A Broader Perspective
Control extends beyond mere route dominance; criminal organizations can also establish support bases to safeguard circulation in areas of interest and instigate conflicts in densely populated urban zones, which can be highly dangerous. Their knowledge of spaces grants them an advantage in intervening, consolidating, or dismantling collusion networks and creating new political, economic, and social power distributions.
Implications for Governments
This reality presents considerable challenges for federal, state, and local governments. The critical question is: How will security institutions respond to these criminal capabilities and logistics to redistribute their forces? What containment mechanisms should be implemented beyond merely targeting specific individuals or drug producers, confiscating weapons and narcotics?
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the implications of recent narco-blockades in Mexico? These events highlight the evolved territorial learning of criminal groups, demonstrating their capacity for rapid deployment and force projection in strategic locations.
- How have criminal groups mastered territorial control? By understanding the value of strategic spaces, trafficking routes, and illegal economic management, criminal organizations have gained a significant advantage in deploying and distributing forces against rivals or law enforcement.
- What challenges do these developments pose for governments? Governments at all levels must address the evolving territorial control of criminal groups, which requires innovative strategies beyond traditional law enforcement methods.
