Mexico Takes Down El Mencho: Fake News War Erupts Online

About this episode

The episode discusses the fallout from the operation that killed El Mencho and the ensuing disinformation online.

In episode 97 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth dissect the fallout from the Mexican military's operation that killed Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel.The hosts break down what actually happened versus the torrent of disinformation that flooded social media: from AI-generated images of cities in flames to wild claims of U.S. agents strangling the kingpin mid-flight. They examine why the narrative spun so quickly out of control, who benefits from painting Mexico as ungovernable, and the real story behind the cartel's retaliatory actions.The episode also covers the US Supreme Court's tariff ruling that struck down Trump's emergency powers, its implications for Mexico's leverage in USMCA talks, and what it means for the ongoing pressure campaign against Cuba.With their signature blend of on-the-ground knowledge and sharp analysis, José Luis and Kurt separate fact from fiction in a week dominated by fake news, while honoring the 25 National Guard members who lost their lives in the aftermath.

People in this episode

Hosts: José Luis Granados Ceja, Kurt Hackbarth

Topics covered

• Mexican military operations
• disinformation
• cartel violence
• USMCA negotiations
• fake news
• political analysis

Keywords

• El Mencho
• Jalisco New Generation Cartel
• disinformation
• US Supreme Court
• Mexico
• fake news
• cartel retaliation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Jalisco New Generation Cartel, US Supreme Court

Places: Mexico, Cuba

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