Mexico: The Death of a Cartel Leader

Members of the Mexican military killed Sinaloa Federation No. 3, Ignacio "El Nacho" Coronel Villarreal, in a raid on a safe house in the suburbs of Guadalajara, Jalisco state, the evening of July 29. A strong force in Mexican drug trafficking since the late 1980s, Coronel will be difficult to replace in terms of leadership, skill and experience. While his death represents a significant win for the government, it could well spark more violence as other drug trafficking organizations seek to fill the vacuum.