The wave of cartel violence sweeping Mexico has now breached the inner circle of the nation’s highest office.
In a chilling escalation, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed today that two of her top federal aides—Jimena Guzmán, her personal secretary, and José Muñoz, a senior advisor—were gunned down in a targeted attack in broad daylight in Mexico City. The assassinations occurred at the intersection of Calzada de Tlalpan and Napoleon Street, in the Benito Juárez borough.
This latest strike against the political establishment follows a brutal trend. Mexico’s cartels have unleashed what many now call a political purge, with 2024 recording 661 attacks on political figures and infrastructure—the highest in Mexican history. From decapitated mayors to candidates murdered live on social media, the list of victims has grown at an alarming rate.
And now, the carnage has pierced the presidency itself.
“There Will Be No Impunity,” Sheinbaum Vows—But Critics Are Skeptical
A visibly shaken President Sheinbaum addressed the nation, vowing swift justice and pledging full cooperation between city authorities, federal intelligence services, and the military.
“There will be no impunity. Those responsible will be arrested and will have to face justice,” her office stated.
Surveillance footage from the area is already being reviewed. Eyewitnesses confirm the attackers were two men on a motorcycle, a cartel tactic seen in numerous high-profile assassinations in recent months.
The Secretariat of Citizen Security, the Attorney General’s Office, and national defense forces have all been mobilized in what is being described as an all-hands manhunt.
Yet even as the investigation begins, critics point to the elephant in the room: President Sheinbaum’s continued refusal to allow U.S. forces to assist in targeting cartel leadership, despite growing calls for cross-border cooperation.
The Cartel Crisis Is Now a Political War
What began as narco violence is now a full-blown assault on democratic institutions. Just this year:
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A mayoral candidate in Guerrero was executed.
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The mayor of Chilpancingo was beheaded.
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A female mayoral candidate and her daughter were shot dead during a Facebook livestream.
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A senior figure in the ruling party was gunned down in Veracruz.
Now, the seat of executive power has been hit directly.
With trust in Mexican law enforcement eroding and the public living in fear, some officials are calling for a new international strategy to fight the cartels. Others say it’s already too late.
But one thing is clear: the cartels have declared open season on Mexican politicians, and unless something changes fast, no one in power is safe.
