Podcast Summary: Redacted News

Episode: Total Chaos! The CIA Mexican Cartel PSYOP is Fully Unfolding in Mexico
Date: February 25, 2026
Hosts: Natali Morris & Clayton Morris
Guests: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, journalist Katrina Schulz

Overview

In this episode, Natali and Clayton Morris investigate the recent civil unrest in Mexico, focusing on the violent backlash following the reported capture and death of cartel leader El Mencho. They examine the flow of US weapons to Mexican cartels, US intelligence involvement, historical context of US-Mexico relations, and the broader implications for both countries. With in-depth interviews and real-world analysis, the episode scrutinizes US complicity in cartel empowerment, government transparency, and the repercussions of kingpin-focused law enforcement strategies.

Key Discussion Points

1. Cartel Violence and US Complicity

• Escalating Unrest:
  • Recent cartel violence (roadblocks, attacks on businesses, airports) paralyzed multiple Mexican cities.
  • Mexican Defense Secretary admitted that 78% of weapons seized from cartels are traced to US manufacturers.
• US Hypocrisy:
  • US designates cartels as “foreign terrorist groups,” yet US weapons end up arming them—mirroring past Middle East policy (ISIS, Al Nusra, Hamas).
  • Washington cutting budgets that trace illegal gun trafficking, effectively reducing oversight.

“At the very moment that we’re talking about cartel power, we’re also reducing funding for the investigations to track those weapons…We’re not supposed to know this.”
—Natali Morris (14:42)

2. Historical Context: Destabilizing Latin America

• Longstanding US Agenda:
  • US aim for instability in Mexico stretches back centuries (reference to Thomas Jefferson’s 1786 concerns).
  • Modern parallels drawn to US regional “practice grounds” like the Middle East.
• Pressure on Cuba & Venezuela:
  • Efforts to starve Cuba by blocking oil from Venezuela; Mexico defies US request, sending humanitarian aid.
  • US involvement in cartel takedowns (e.g., El Mencho) may coincide with foreign policy objectives.

“The short answer of why disrupt Mexico right now is because they’re really doing a great job of…standing up to US hegemony.”
—Clayton Morris (11:35)

3. PsyOps and Local Awareness

• Mexican Citizens' Skepticism:
  • Viral videos allege CIA backing of the Nuevo Generations Cartel, suggesting deliberate destabilization by foreign interests.
  • Local views: “The CIA is behind the Nuevo Generations cartel...Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” (16:38)

4. US Domestic Impact & Border States

• California as Cartel Hub:
  • Interview with Sheriff Chad Bianco (26:51–38:19):
    • California’s lenient policies facilitate cartel operations; highways used as primary distribution routes.
    • Cartels now prioritize human trafficking due to higher profitability, but easily switch back to drugs when routes change.
    • Cartel leadership and key operatives reside in Southern California, reflecting cross-border integration.
    • Cartels are as well, if not better, armed than some local law enforcement agencies.

“There is nothing more organized than the cartel...If they were legitimate, they would probably be one of the biggest businesses in the world.”
—Sheriff Chad Bianco (30:04)

“They have rocket launchers and all of the things that you see on TV. They are probably more heavily armed than local law enforcement.”
—Sheriff Chad Bianco (37:20)

• Transnational Operations & Law Enforcement Struggles:
  • Cartel logistics include legal businesses for money laundering, mass human smuggling, and diversified portfolios (produce, trucking, mining).
  • Law enforcement overwhelmed by volume and sophistication; cartel foot soldiers are disposable, incentivized by threat or poverty.

5. Inside Mexico: Structure and Fragmentation of Cartels

• Interview with Journalist Katrina Schulz (42:23–58:47):
  • El Mencho’s death sparked a "declaration of war" by the CJNG against the Mexican government; violence outbreaks nationwide.
  • Leadership succession was pre-planned: El Mencho’s American stepson (“El Cerro Tres,” born in Orange County, CA) immediately installed, showing cartel’s organizational depth.
  • Potential for violent cartel infighting remains high but hasn't erupted yet.
  • Cartels operate as parallel governments, embedded in politics and local security, operating with military-grade weaponry from the US, Israel, Iran, and China.

“[CJNG’s] new leader...is actually an American citizen...That’s a first.”
—Katrina Schulz (43:40)

• US & Foreign Involvement:
  • Confirmed heavy US intelligence involvement in El Mencho’s takedown; political need to maintain the illusion of Mexican sovereignty.
  • Cartels using Israeli Pegasus spyware (with implied IDF approval); drones sourced from China and Iran.

“There has not been any retaliation against Americans...Tourists have not been touched or harmed in any way other than just being locked down in their hotels.”
—Katrina Schulz (46:02)

• Kingpin Strategy Critique:
  • Removal of leaders triggers further violence, but rarely weakens cartel power long-term (“like a hydra”).
  • Every removal just causes more violence and innocent suffering.

“I really do hate the kingpin strategy...You chop off the head and two deadlier, scarier ones grow back.”
—Katrina Schulz (53:58)

• The Flow of Arms and Technology:
  • 80% of guns at Mexican crime scenes traced to the US.
  • Technology and weaponry flows from multiple geopolitical players, suggesting deeper intelligence and financial pipelines are what sustain cartel power.

6. Broader Geopolitical Context

• China’s Role:
  • Chinese business and political relationships in Latin America perceived as threatening US influence; referenced with ongoing “new Monroe Doctrine.”
  • Fentanyl precursor chemicals initially from China, later shifted to India & Pakistan following crackdowns, with Chinese chemists directly teaching Mexican cartel chemists.

“Chinese chemists came to Mexico to teach the cartels how to make fentanyl. It was a watch and learn process.”
—Katrina Schulz (56:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On U.S. Complicity & Irony:

  “[We] pay weapons makers to arm the cartels in Mexico? Good for you. You’re working for weapons makers.”
  —Clayton Morris (10:08)

• On Mexico-U.S. Relations:

  “No one gives a shit about Latin America, but we’re still going to topple them.”
  —Natali Morris (13:20)

• Sheriff’s Perspective:

  “It is enabling criminal behavior that we are constantly fighting with…The cartels are just as well-armed as we are and sometimes more.”
  —Chad Bianco (27:26; 37:20)

• On the Kingpin Approach:

  “Kingpin strategy…never effective, just causes more violence…You chop off the head and two deadlier, scarier ones grow back.”
  —Katrina Schulz (53:58)

• On U.S. Foreign Policy Doctrine:

  “The Trump corollary is that the United States will take military action based on our prerogatives…very broad.”
  —Clayton Morris (20:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Episode Theme Introduction: 02:00
• Weapons, U.S. Complicity, and Cartel Power: 06:34–18:19
• Historical Context & US Motives in Latin America: 11:35–20:34
• CIA, Cartel PsyOps & Local Perspectives in Mexico: 14:42–17:38
• Interview: Sheriff Chad Bianco on California & Cartel Operations: 26:51–38:19
• Interview: Katrina Schulz on Mexico’s Cartel War and US Involvement: 42:23–58:47

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• The recent escalation of cartel violence in Mexico is intimately tied to U.S. policy, both historically and in the present day, especially through the military-industrial complex and intelligence agencies.
• Efforts to combat cartels by targeting leaders have proven ineffective and often result in more violence and suffering.
• Cartels have evolved into multinational, diversified criminal enterprises with access to military-grade weaponry and advanced technology from several global powers.
• The U.S. government’s contradictory roles—arming, investigating, and occasionally targeting cartels—point to a deeper, uncomfortable complicity in the ongoing violence and instability in the region.
• With the ATF’s defunding and ongoing lack of transparency, there is little incentive or ability to meaningfully trace and stop the flow of weapons fueling the cycle of violence.

Where to Learn More:

• Sheriff Chad Bianco: Ongoing law enforcement perspective from California’s border counties.
• Katrina Schulz: Borderland Dispatch podcast; Substack "Send News" for on-the-ground cartel coverage.

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