On the Front Line With Mexico’s Warring Cartels (2021)

On the Front Line With Mexico’s Warring Cartels is a 2021 documentary that immerses viewers in the heart of Mexico’s ongoing conflict between rival drug cartels. Let’s explore the gripping details:

1. Setting the Scene:
   • The film takes place in the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán, where two powerful cartels, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the United Cartels, battle for control.
   • The highway connecting Aguililla and Apatzingán becomes a no-man’s land at night, as both sides fiercely contest this territory.
2. Cartel Checkpoint:
   • The documentary crew encounters a cartel checkpoint. Armed gunmen, tattooed and battle-hardened, stop their car.
   • The tension rises as the journalists explain they are filming a documentary. The cartel members relay their story to their commander via walkie-talkie.
3. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG):
   • The CJNG, led by El Mencho, has risen to national dominance through violence. Their founder hails from a nearby hamlet.
   • In 2019, the CJNG ambushed and killed 14 state police officers in Michoacán, accusing them of serving rival cartels.
4. United Cartels:
   • Local gangs, once feuding, have formed a loose alliance called the United Cartels. Their goal: repel the CJNG’s incursion.
   • The conflict involves explosive drones, armored trucks, and brutal killings on both sides.
5. Journalists Caught in the Crossfire:
   • The documentary crew had planned to meet CJNG contacts but found themselves stranded without communication.
   • At the checkpoint, they suspect they’re talking to the United Cartels.

In this gritty portrayal, On the Front Line With Mexico’s Warring Cartels exposes the raw reality of a war fueled by power, territory, and bloodshed.