SUMMARY
Michoacan was the starting point of the war against the drug-trafficking gangs waged by the government of Felipe Calderon Hinojosa in 2006. Calderon, a native of the state, began by deploying a thousand troops, hoping for swift victory. However, the results were not as anticipated. The entrenched criminal groups retaliated, splintering into distinct factions that seized control of Michoacán and the surrounding region, known as Tierra Caliente.
Among the numerous cartels, the Jalisco Cartel New Generation (CJNG) emerged as one of the most powerful, extending its influence to roughly 20 states since its upsurge in 2012. The organization, led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, was not only a formidable threat to other major criminal organizations, but also ignited intense territorial disputes within Michoacán, Oseguera's birthplace.
Between 2018-2019, local cartels forged an alliance under the name Carteles Unidos to seize territories controlled by the CJNG, particularly in Michoacán and Guerrero. This alliance included La Nueva Familia, Viagras, Caballeros Templarios, Los Blancos de Troya and Pueblos Unidos, amongst others. This fighting ignited a wave of violence in the region to take control of the production and distribution of synthetic drugs. The International Crisis Group reported in 2022 that Carteles Unidos had received support from local governments and security forces in their fight against the CJNG.
In 2022, CJNG began to exhibit signs of wear and tear. A significant blow came from narco-messages purportedly authored by the Cartel Independiente de Colima, claiming the death of Oseguera. In addition, there were rumors of internal discord and the formation of new factions within the cartel.
Amidst this tumultuous landscape, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the leader of a left-wing government, continued deploying military forces without altering the fundamental strategy against organized crime. In 2021, up to 17,000 troops were stationed in Michoacán, primarily in the communities of Aguililla and Coalcomán, strongholds of the CJNG.
The non-state conflict between Jalisco Cartel New Generation and Carteles Unidos was first included in UCDP data in 2021.
