The gruesome discovery of nine bodies and a bag filled with their severed hands on a Mexican highway last week had cartel violence written all over it.
Mexican drug cartels use terror tactics like mass beheadings, hacked-off hands, public hangings, child kidnapping, drone warfare, and cannibalism to punish enemies and instill fear. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) forces recruits to eat human hearts as part of initiation. These tactics are widespread across Mexico to control populations and intimidate rivals.