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 cartels employ terror tactics, including beheadings, cannibalism, and severing hands, to punish enemies, instill fear, and maintain control. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) utilizes "Terror Schools" where recruits undergo desensitization through violence and cannibalistic initiation rituals. These actions, often publicized, aim to intimidate rivals, citizens, and officials in the ongoing drug war.