What happens when a former elite soldier claims the Mexican government is not just fighting the drug cartels — but being paid by them? In a controversial interview on a major podcast, an ex-Special Forces operator tells Jordi Wild about what he saw behind the scenes, raising questions about corruption, collusion and the true nature of power in Mexico. This video explores these claims seriously, looking at historical context documented corruption cases, official statements, testimonies and the broader struggle between state authorities and organized crime.
Mexico has been at war with drug cartels for decades, and while government authorities claim progress and results in seizing drugs, dismantling labs, and arresting high-value targets, critics say the strategy often lacks transparency or accountability. Official figures released by the government cite confiscations of hundreds of tons of narcotics and tens of thousands of arrests in recent years, but journalists and analysts note that much of this data cannot be independently verified and may be influenced by political narratives.
There have been documented cases where high-ranking officials faced serious corruption allegations related to cartel interactions. Perhaps the most notable example is the U.S. trial of Mexico’s former top security official, Genaro García Luna, who was accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel in exchange for protection and information. Prosecutors presented evidence including testimony from former traffickers in U.S. federal court, suggesting cartel monies flowed into the highest levels of security leadership — though the defense disputes the characterization of the payments.
This is not the only instance. In the 1980s and 1990s, U.S. testimony and declassified documents pointed to periods when cartel money and security forces intersected in ways that undermined official policy. Long-standing allegations have surrounded how seized drugs and law enforcement seizures were handled, and how profits were sometimes misappropriated rather than destroyed. Some expert analyses from decades ago describe how corruption in key institutions, from police forces to security agencies, made controlled substances trafficking easier and more profitable.
These historical and legal controversies overlap with the forceful statements of ex-armed forces members who served inside Mexico’s elite units. In the viral interview referenced, an anonymous ex-GAFE soldier recounted intense combat experiences against cartel cells and also alluded to the blurred line between official operations and collusion with criminal interests. He spoke on camera about how frontline soldiers often found themselves fighting a battle that appeared disconnected from political directives, and alleged that corruption and influence affected decisions — claims that resonate with long-standing suspicions among Mexicans frustrated by persistent cartel power.
Observers point out that Mexico’s struggle against organized crime is complex: cartels operate with immense financial power, they infiltrate local governments, fund private security forces, and exploit systemic weaknesses in judiciary and law enforcement. The sheer scale of organized crime networks has been analyzed academically, showing that cartel violence persists not just because of operational strength, but also because the underlying social and economic conditions that allow recruitment, corruption and impunity remain unresolved.
There are conflicting views on how the Mexican government handles the fight against cartels. Some officials and commentators argue that cooperation with international partners like the FBI or the CIA has helped dismantle significant elements of cartel infrastructure, including high-profile arrests that involved coordinated operations. However, Mexican authorities have also denied certain foreign covert operations or foreign involvement, asserting sovereignty in security matters.
Critics argue that these contradictions damage public trust. As one Mexican social commentator and online contributor put it, many people feel caught between a government that claims to be in control and a reality where cartel influence seems pervasive, extending into politics, local institutions and even enforcement agencies. In some discussions online, voices express skepticism about the distinction between state power and criminal power in certain regions, suggesting a de facto “narco-state” phenomenon — a term used informally to describe deep levels of corruption and impunity.
It is important to emphasize that allegations are not proven facts on their own. Legal charges, historical documents and journalistic investigations paint a complicated picture of how crime and governance interact.
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