About this episode

Ed Calderon returns to discuss the implications of the operation that reportedly killed CJNG leader El Mencho and the potential power shifts within the cartel.

On today's episode, Ed Calderon returns to Borderland: Narcosis to examine the operation that reportedly killed CJNG leader El Mencho. The conversation covers the details of the raid, inconsistencies in the official narrative, cartel responses across Mexico, and potential power shifts inside CJNG. Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00 ) Intro (01:00) Deep Dive: The Raid on El Mencho’s Compound (03:50) How the Mexican Army Found Him (05:51) Suspicious Evidence: Why the Scene Doesn't Add Up (08:45) Secret Operations & Government Incompetence (11:15) The Truth: Was the Death Faked? (13:41) Cartel Power Vacuum: Who Takes Control? (18:49) Forensic Proof: The Body and the Funeral (23:23) The Secret Ledger System (28:02) US Involvement: Delta, Seals, and High-Altitude Jumps (31:21) The Next Targets: Chapo’s Sons and Remaining Bosses (37:54) Insurgency Risk: The Future of Mexican Violence (42:56) Is Mexico Safe for Travel Right Now? Sponsors: 1st Phorm: Go to⁠ ⁠https://www.1stphorm.com/borderland⁠⁠ and get free shipping on any orders over $75, free 30 days in the app for new customers, and 110% money back guarantee on all of our products. GHOSTBED: Go to…

People in this episode

Host: Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

Guest: Ed Calderon

Topics covered

• Mexican Cartels
• El Mencho
• CJNG
• Insurgency
• Government Operations
• Violence in Mexico

Keywords

• El Mencho
• CJNG
• Mexican Army
• Insurgency
• Cartel Power Vacuum
• Violence
• Government Incompetence

Sponsors

1st Phorm, GHOSTBED, Norwood Sawmills

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CJNG, Mexican Army, Delta, Seals

Products: 1st Phorm, GHOSTBED, Norwood Sawmills

More episodes of Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas

• Hector Berrellez: The CIA, the Cartels, and the Murder of Kiki Camarena · April 27, 2026 · 39 min
• Sinaloa’s New Structure: Inside a Fragmented Cartel Network · April 20, 2026 · 1h 0m
• National Security Concerns at the Southern Border: Jorge Ventura Reports from Tijuana · April 13, 2026 · 45 min
• Silent Takeover: How China’s Infiltration of Canada Threatens U.S. Security · April 7, 2026 · 1h 10m
• The Cartel Drone Crisis: CJNG Operators Training Abroad and Targeting U.S. Vulnerabilities · March 30, 2026 · 52 min
• CJNG Getting Stronger? The Brutal Reality Inside Mexico’s Worsening Security Crisis · March 23, 2026 · 1h 1m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' Vargas podcast page.