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We met a cartel killer — who really runs Mexico?

August 1, 2026

Cartel Wars, corruption, and fear: DW spoke exclusively with hitmen, politicians and family members about who is really pulling the strings in Mexico.

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In the Mexican state of Sinaloa, a bloody power struggle is raging between rival factions of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. DW gained exclusive insights into the structures of one of the country’s most powerful cartels. Here, organized crime and state institutions are becoming increasingly intertwined. A suspected hitman describes how the cartel murders, intimidates, and, by its own account, influences political processes in the country. Female opposition politicians report kidnappings and threats, and the consequences for the population are dramatic: Families search for missing relatives, children grow up amid shootings, and many people live in constant fear — a society caught between violence, mistrust, and hope for justice.

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Reporter — On Location

DW’s on-the-ground reporters are always close to the action, be it covering international events or zooming in on some of the quirks of daily life. Camera always in hand, they report on the changes they see taking place in Germany, Europe and around the world.