Lázaro Cárdenas: How Cartels Took Over Mexico’s Drug Corridor

Kantunilkín, Quintana Roo — The municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas, with its seat in Kantunilkín, has become a haven for criminals operating in towns across Quintana Roo and neighboring Yucatán.

A Strategic Drug Trafficking Hub

Once a quiet region, Lázaro Cárdenas has transformed into a key transit zone for drug shipments destined for Quintana Roo’s tourist hubs and major cities in Yucatán. Historical evidence confirms that cartels, including the Caro Quintero family (Caborca) and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) in alliance with the Sinaloa Cartel’s “Los Chapitos,” now occupy ranches along the highway connecting Benito Juárez to Lázaro Cárdenas as operational bases.

Escalating Violence Under Municipal Leadership

From August 2024 to July 2025, the once-peaceful municipality has witnessed a surge in violence, attributed to the lack of security strategies under the administration of Lázaro Cárdenas Mayor Nivardo Mena Villanueva. Among the most shocking incidents:

• July 2025: A man was shot dead on the beach near Hotel “Xalok,” just 100 meters from Holbox Island’s Technical Secondary School No. 9. The killing, rare for Holbox, has sown fear among residents, many of whom remain silent for fear of reprisals.
• August 2024: Three individuals were executed at a sports field in the community of Valladolid Nuevo.
• April 2025: The bodies of Osberth Valle, a beauty industry entrepreneur, and his driver, Fernando Hermosillo Curiel, were discovered near Kantunilkín after being reported missing for 20 days.
• December 2024: The Quintana Roo Attorney General’s Office uncovered a mass grave containing eight sets of remains in a remote area of Lázaro Cárdenas.
• June 2025: Two men were executed in the community of San Francisco, where municipal authorities allegedly attempted to suppress reports of the crime.

Residents Demand Action

Frustrated by the unchecked violence, residents are calling for urgent intervention from federal security forces, citing the municipal government’s inaction. Meanwhile, Mayor Nivardo Mena Villanueva continues to position himself as a viable political candidate for upcoming elections, despite the growing influence of organized crime in the northernmost municipality of Quintana Roo.

Holbox: A Dual Reality of Tourism and Crime

The island of Holbox, a prized tourist destination, has also become a hotspot for drug trafficking, further highlighting the region’s descent into lawlessness.