Mexican Army Enforcing Turf Divisions Between Mexican Drug Cartels to Ward Off Fighting Over Territories

By Mary Webber (staff@latinpost.com) First Posted: Nov 08, 2021 10:50 PM EST

Mexican soldiers stand guard at the entrance of the ranch where gunmen took cover during an intense gun battle with the police, along the Jalisco-Michoacan highway in Vista Hermosa, Michoacan State, on May 22, 2015. At least 37 people were killed in the gunfight in Mexico's troubled western state of Michoacan, in one of the bloodiest clashes in the country's drug war. Two police officers also died in the shootout in the municipality of Tanhuato, near the border with Jalisco state, a federal government official told AFP. Michoacan and Jalisco have endured some of the worst violence in a drug war that began to escalate in 2006, when the government deployed troops to combat cartels. More than 80,000 have been killed and another 22,000 gone missing nationwide in the past nine years. (Photo : HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images)

A squad of Mexican army has been enforcing turn divisions that have largely stopped fighting among Mexican drug cartels over territories.

The soldiers guard the dividing lines between the cartel territories so they will not invade each other's turf while also reportedly turning a blind eye to the Mexican drug cartels' illegal activities, according to The Guardian report.

Los Viagras gang has long dominated the state of Michoacan and had set up the first roadblock. They had a truck parked across the highway and sandbags installed to protect cartel gunmen.

The gunmen roll back the truck to allow farmers through every few hours but only let drivers pass through once they have paid a "toll."

Meanwhile, around 3 kilometers on the same road, another cartel's territory begins, which is marked by squads of armed men and homemade armored trucks bearing the letters "CJNG" for Jalisco Cartel.

Mexico Defense Secretary General Luís Cresencio Sandoval has publicly announced that the soldiers are there to stop the Jalisco cartel's attempts to invade Michoacan.

Local farmers say that Los Viagras are charging around $150 for each truckload of limes. Avocado farmers are also subjected to the same protection payments on every box of fruit they ship.

The leader of Los Viagras roadblock told journalists passing through to be careful of what they publish. The leader added that they can monitor it on Facebook and can find people using the social media platform, according to an Associated Press News report.

Cresencio Sandoval said in October that they managed to make one of the cartels, the Jalisco, retreat to the borderline of Jalisco. However, the government has not commented yet on the strategy that they are currently enforcing.

Security analyst Alejandro Hope noted that the government's strategy is some sort of "pact of non-aggression." Hope said that the soldiers are around not to disarm the two sides but to prevent the conflict from spreading.

However, the security analyst said that the problem is they don't know where the army draws the line and what they are willing to accept.

Jalisco Cartel

Jalisco Cartel started when former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel was killed by Mexican security forces in July 2010, causing a power struggle to control drug trafficking in Jalisco.

The faction of The Torcidos became what is now known as the Jalisco Cartel New Generation. It continued as the successors to the Sinaloan capo's network in the region, according to an InsightCrime report.

Nemesio Oseguera Ramos, using the alias "El Mencho," founded and leads the cartel on its activities.

Jalisco Cartel has been widely linked to the use of extreme violence, with the number of homicides, forced disappearances, and mass graves increasing with the group's emergence.

Los Viagras Cartel

Los Viagras is known to be another Jalisco Cartel rival. They were once a self-defense group and are now known as a criminal organization, according to another InsightCrime report.

Los Viagras is known to be involved in hired assassinations, extortion of ranchers and farmers, and marijuana and synthetic drug trafficking.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Mexico says no 'interventionism' over US plans to target cartels - from Al Jazeera English

Tags Mexican Army, turf divisions, Mexican Drug Cartels, Los Viagras, Jalisco cartel