Family Discussion: Cartel Chaos
The following article is designed to help parents dialogue about a current event with their children. It was written at a 7th grade reading level.
READ
Mexico is recovering from a wave of violence. It all started on Sunday when Mexican security forces killed one of the country’s most-wanted cartel bosses, “El Mencho.”
A drug cartel is a group of people who sell drugs illegally to make big money, often using violence to protect their business. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”) headed up the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The CJNG is one of America’s biggest suppliers of the drugs fentanyl, meth, and cocaine, and the U.S. has labeled it a terror organization.
The U.S. and Mexico shared information for months to track down the drug lord, before there was a breakthrough this weekend. Mexican authorities followed one of El Mencho’s romantic partners to his hideout. Oseguera Cervantes was shot in a gunfight with security forces and died in custody on the way to the hospital.
The cartel struck back violently. CJNG blocked 250+ roads and burned cars across 20+ states in Mexico. Over 70 people were killed in the operation and the violence that followed. That number includes 25 Mexican National Guard members, the alleged mastermind of CJNG’s response, and more than 30 additional suspected cartel members.
Thousands of security forces were deployed to quiet the unrest. Monday, authorities said all roadblocks had been cleared. Tuesday, normal flight schedules resumed across tourist destinations like Puerto Vallarta, Cancún, and Cozumel.
ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Christians live as strangers and exiles in our home countries, whether that temporary home is peaceful, disorderly, or somewhere in between. Seek the good of the land you’re passing through while eagerly anticipating the coming of your permanent home.
REFLECT
How can I model putting my hope and trust in Christ when discussing this story?
Do not fear! The news is notorious for amplifying scary and tragic stories because they’re what keep audiences coming back. But for believers in Jesus, fear is never the appropriate response.
Why not? First, there’s God’s explicit command/encouragement all over the Bible: “Fear not!” In all kinds of intimidating, intense, tragic situations, God’s presence strengthens believers to face hard things with faith (Deuteronomy 31:6; Isaiah 41:10; Revelation 1:17).
Plus, there’s His promise of a good and long future in His presence. If I believe that my soul is safe with Jesus, no matter what happens to my body on earth (Matthew 10:28), why should anything in the news make me anxious? From the perspective of eternity, suffering is short and just a preparation for future joy.
What response to this story do I want to model for my children?
You were not made to bear the emotional weight of every hard headline that reaches you from across the world. You’re finite… and that’s not a design flaw.
In Matthew 25, Jesus calls His followers to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned. But He isn’t assigning each individual Christian an impossible checklist. He’s describing the kind of love His people will be known for—a collective identity, not a solo mission.
So when you hear about hard things in distant lands, thank God for His body, the Church, and pray that He would equip local believers to serve boldly in their homelands for His glory.
RESPOND
In moments of anxiety, choose a habit that speaks hope into fear. Suggestion: sing a song that will help push back the fear, like this one.
Memorize Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand” (CSB).
Pray for deliverance from fear in your own life and pray that believers in Mexico would be strengthened for the hard work of peacemaking in their communities.
Credit: Decaf (The Pour Over for Families). "Cartel Chaos." February 26, 2026.