Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/mexico-erupts-into-cartel-chaos-secret-service-kills-mar-a-lago-intruder-obsessed-with-epstein-files/
Geopolitics
Mexican forces reported killing Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during a raid in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The operation relied on intelligence from a new U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, with Mexican special forces having received recent training from U.S. Navy SEAL instructors. Seven cartel members died in the firefight, including El Mencho, who died en route to Mexico City. Authorities seized rocket launchers and armored vehicles, and three soldiers were wounded. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the death and urged calm, stating most of the country remains stable.
CJNG members reportedly launched attacks nationwide following the raid, including burning vehicles, roadblocks on highways, and clashes with federal forces in Jalisco, Michoacán, Guerrero, Nayarit, Colima, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and other areas. Flights were suspended at Guadalajara’s airport. Schools closed across Jalisco, and businesses shuttered in affected areas. Military UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were deployed against gunmen near a Puerto Vallarta prison and along highways.
In Puerto Vallarta, cartel members reportedly blocked major roads with burning buses and vehicles, shut down taxis, and engaged in clashes near the airport. Resorts were placed under lockdown. Canadian journalist Dan Dicks reported military patrols, potential power cuts, and resorts under lockdown. Some on-the-ground reports indicated that tourist resorts remained operational despite nearby roadblocks.
Jeff Berwick, founder of The Dollar Vigilante and organizer of events like Anarchapulco and the Crypto Vigilante Summit currently underway in Puerto Vallarta, provided a live report describing the situation as cartel-government violence erupting into chaos. He characterized it not as a typical drug war but as a “manufactured power play” intended to sow fear and maintain control. Berwick noted that his community responded by mobilizing mesh networks and establishing safe zones, allowing their events to continue amid the unrest.
The U.S. Embassy and Consulate issued security alerts advising American citizens in Jalisco (including Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero, Nuevo León, Baja California, Quintana Roo, Guanajuato, and Oaxaca to shelter in place and avoid travel. U.S. airlines Alaska and United, along with Canadian carriers Air Canada, Flair, and Air Transat, canceled flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.
In other geopolitical news, Iranian officials indicated willingness to send half of its most highly enriched uranium abroad, dilute the remainder, and participate in a regional enrichment consortium ahead of talks with the United States. These steps would occur in return for U.S. recognition of Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear enrichment and the lifting of economic sanctions. Iranian officials also proposed joint oil and gas investments, along with cooperation in mining, urban development, and aircraft purchases. U.S. and Iranian negotiators plan to meet in Geneva on Thursday after receiving a detailed Iranian proposal by Tuesday. Oman confirmed the talks. The Pentagon continues reinforcing its Persian Gulf presence with a second aircraft carrier. Iran warned of potential retaliation against U.S. bases. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff stated on Fox News that Iran is about a week from producing industrial-grade bomb material.
Economy
Mexico produces 20 to 25 percent of global silver mine supply as the world’s top producer. Cartel violence, including road blockades and logistics disruptions following El Mencho’s reported killing, threatens short-term tightness in the structurally constrained market. Silver prices do not currently factor in such supply shocks. No mine shutdowns have been confirmed, with analysts noting that producers like Peru and Chile could offset potential Mexican disruptions.
Energy
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico issued an ultimatum to Ukraine over halted Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline. Unless pumping resumes by Monday, Slovakia will stop emergency electricity exports critical during subzero temperatures affecting Ukraine’s grid from Russian strikes. The pipeline has been offline since January 27, which Ukraine attributes to a Russian drone strike and technical damage. Fico criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for what he called malicious behavior toward Slovakia, which has supplied around 180,000 units of aid since the war began. Hungary echoed the stance, with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accusing Ukraine of blackmail via false excuses. Both nations, heavily reliant on Russian oil, halted diesel exports to Ukraine earlier. The European Commission declined to pressure Kyiv. Hungary threatened to block a €90 billion EU loan package for Ukraine, with Slovakia pledging support. Kyiv’s Foreign Ministry called the actions provocative and playing into Russia’s hands.
US Politics
A 21-year-old man from North Carolina, Austin Tucker Martin, breached the outer security perimeter at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach early Sunday morning. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy confronted Martin carrying a shotgun and gas canister around 1:30 a.m. ET. After he dropped the canister but raised the shotgun, law enforcement fired, killing him at the scene. No agents, deputies, or Secret Service protectees were injured. Martin had been reported missing by his family days earlier, last seen on February 21. Investigators found the shotgun box in his vehicle and are compiling a psychological profile while probing motive, and he was not previously known to law enforcement. Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw detailed the encounter at a press conference. The incident occurred miles from Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club, site of a prior assassination attempt.
Austin Tucker Martin reportedly exchanged text messages expressing obsession with the Epstein files a week before his death. In messages to a co-worker on February 15, he described the files as proof that evil exists and urged raising awareness about them and government actions. The co-worker did not reply but inquired about Martin’s whereabouts the morning before the Mar-a-Lago incident. Colleagues told media outlets that Martin believed elites covered up the files to evade accountability. He reportedly voiced frustrations over the economy and difficulties for young people affording independent living, and attempted to organize a union at his country club job for higher wages without support. A cousin described him as non-violent, unlikely to harm even an ant, and unfamiliar with guns. Most of his family supported President Trump.
European Politics
European militaries face manpower shortages amid demographic decline and demands from the Ukraine conflict. Births in the EU fell below 4 million in 2022 for the first time since 1960, shrinking the working-age population by an estimated 43 million by 2070, per the European Commission. A Washington-based think tank, the Center for a New American Century, stated in Foreign Policy that high-tech weapons cannot replace boots on the ground, as shown in Ukraine’s attrition warfare. It noted ongoing migration from Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere brings young males with potential skills like languages, cultural knowledge, and technical expertise. Ireland announced a review of a program offering fast-track citizenship to immigrants volunteering for military service to boost defense and diversity. Germany, France, and Spain are considering similar initiatives. Proponents argue military service forges national identity through shared sacrifice rather than ancestry, addressing political resistance to migration.
Critics have warned that such programs could arm unintegrated migrants against native populations.
Sources
Iran Dangles Nuclear Concessions, Oil Deals in Bid to Defuse US Tensions
Iran has indicated it is prepared to make concessions on its nuclear program in talks with the U.S. in return for the lifting of sanctions and recognition of its right to enrich uranium, as it seeks to avert a U.S. attack,
21-Year-Old Austin Tucker Martin ID’d as Shotgun-Wielding Mar-a-Lago Intruder Killed by Agents
Mar-a-Lago intruder identified as 21-year-old, Austin Tucker Martin
Fico’s Ultimatum: Restore Russian Oil or Slovakia Cuts Ukraine’s Emergency Power
Restore Russian oil flows, or else a key emergency electricity lifeline for Ukraine gets pulled.
Europe’s Migrant Mercenaries: Filling Military Ranks or Suppressing Natives?
It is much easier to control native Europeans using immigrant mercenaries with no loyalty to the culture.
Mar-a-Lago Gunman Obsessed with Epstein Files in Final Texts
The armed man shot and killed by Secret Service as he tried to enter Mar-a-Lago on Sunday was obsessed with the Epstein files and begged others to “raise awareness” in the days before his death
Mexico in Chaos: Cartels Launch Nationwide Attacks After El Mencho’s Death
Following the killing, chaos erupted across Mexico, with the majority of the madness taking place in Puerto Vallarta.
Puerto Vallarta Siege: Cartel War Erupts After El Mencho Killing, US Orders Shelter in Place
Puerto Vallarta is now a war-zone
El Mencho Killed in US-Intel-Backed Raid: CJNG Retaliation Paralyses Mexico
Mexican Army and National Guard raided a location in Tapalpa, Jalisco, killing Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes (El Mencho)
Mexican Cartel Chaos: Silver Supply Shock Incoming
If cartel chaos spreads in Mexico, watch silver.
US, Canadian Airlines Cancel Mexico Flights Amid Cartel Violence After Drug Lord Killing
Airlines have cancelled dozens of flights to Mexico as violence erupts in the country following the killing of a major drug lord.
Cartel Inferno Traps Tourists in Puerto Vallarta After Boss’s Capture
There’s literally no way out of Puerto Vallarta right now.
Mexico Under Siege: Chaos Erupts in Puerto Vallarta Amid Cartel-Government Power Play
While Anarchapulco Genesis and TCV Summit were in Puerto Vallarta, cartel-government violence erupted. Not a drug war, but a manufactured power play, fear sown for control.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: Times Now, Ynet, @MrChinellato, ZeroHedge, @tonitrades_, and El Pais.
