Mexico’s long war: Drugs, crime and the cartels

This version of Mexicos Long War Drugs Crime Cartels Rcna345839 - World News | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.

Mexican authorities, with U.S. support, have been waging a battle against the powerful criminal gangs for two decades. Still, thousands die in the conflict every year.

TOPSHOT-MEXICO-CRIME-DRUG TRAFFICKING-OPERATION

A member of the prosecutor's office stands guard near a burning bus after organized crime groups set it on fire in response to an operation in Jalisco to arrest a high-priority security target in Zapopan on Feb. 22.Ulises Ruiz / AFP via Getty Images file

May 19, 2026, 5:07 PM EDT / Updated May 19, 2026, 5:37 PM EDT

By CFR Editors

This article was originally published on CFR.org and updated by NBC News.

Violence continues to rage some two decades after the Mexican government launched a war against drug cartels, fueling ongoing instability and challenging U.S.-Mexico security cooperation.

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