Confessions of Mexico's Most Violent Cartels (Part 1/2)

Confessions of Mexico's Most Violent Cartels (Part 1/2) | Ioan Grillo Ep. 700

Рет қаралды 52,254

Күн бұрын

Ioan Grillo is a contributing writer at The New York Times specializing in crime and drugs. He is the author of El Narco: Inside Mexico’s Criminal Insurgency; Gangster Warlords: Drug Dollars, Killing Fields, and the New Politics of Latin America; and Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels. (This is part one of a two-part episode. Part two can be found here: • Confessions of Mexico'... )
Full show notes can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/700
Subscribe to the podcast: jordanharbinger.com/subscribe
What We Discuss with Ioan:
00:00 - Intro
00:06 - Why Ioan left the UK to report on the West
02:17 - Covering the violence of the cartels
09:27 - Ioan tells some stories about the cartels
19:01 - Finding 49 bodies
31:32 - Why the cartel hasn't gotten Ioan
36:28 - The sicario kids
43:53 - Scarily cheap hitmen
48:41 - Why you can't just eliminate kingpins
56:04 - 16x more cop fatalities in Mexico than in the US
1:01:22 - What is the solution?
Mexican cartels are infamous for their ruthlessness in carving out whatever piece of the $300 billion annual illicit drug trade they can. This means waging war against one another, as well as terrorizing the populace unlucky enough to call a contested town home. The police can’t be trusted to serve and protect them because, if they’re not on the take from the cartels, they’re certainly outgunned by them. Thousands of innocent people disappear every year as pawns in whatever games the cartels decide to play - children often recruited to carry out the bloodiest, most gruesome work while their parents and relatives wind up in mass graves.
For 20 years, journalist Ioan Grillo has been immersed in this world of nonstop cruelty and chaos, resulting in two books: El Narco: Inside Mexico’s Criminal Insurgency and Gangster Warlords: Drug Dollars, Killing Fields, and the New Politics of Latin America (we’ll get more into his third and most recent, Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels, in the second part of this two-part episode later this week). Here, Ioan shares the horrors he’s witnessed over the past two decades and tries to make sense of it all while retaining his own humanity.
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Пікірлер: 96

@charlesoneil1899 Жыл бұрын

What a sad sad world we live in!

@HarryFlashmanVC 7 ай бұрын

Ioans books are well worth it. He's got a serious pair of colhones on him! A modern version of those mad Brits that built an Empire through a sense of adventure and sheer bolllocks. He's a modern Burton, Gordon, Younghusband or Mackenzie.

@Kyle_00 3 ай бұрын

Yea exactly, :)

@shahin5153 3 ай бұрын

Except Ioan is a good person, he’s not looking to enslave, subjugate and steal from the people of the lands he’s exploring

@ishrendon6435 Ай бұрын

@shahin5153 lol true let them know reality instead of fantasy. Here in spain in my school were taught our colonial empire was for the benefit of the savage amd we didnt do amything wrong lol glad im not brainwashed amd left that school

@ishrendon6435 Ай бұрын

Im no liberal but i hate when idiots try to rewrite history or downplay the nasty parts of our history especially us Europeans we temd to get defensive about eveything

@HarryFlashmanVC Ай бұрын

@@shahin5153 bore off, petal...

@themicdfiles1865 Жыл бұрын

I was in federal prison with a lot of these cats and these stories are right on point with the things I heard. There was this one Paisa kid that was in my unit and he was mid twenties and he was doing 28 years. He always smiled and laughed so one day I said, “Hey, #$&@&=+ you’re always smiling and laughing, cuttin’ up, and acting like things are just great. You got a long bit. Why you always so happy.” He said, “Mike, I’m happy to be here because the day I hit the street I’m dead.” I didn’t know what to even say to that. Here you got a youngster looking at release in his early 50’s and he feels happy about it. The ways those guys kill isn’t like any other crime group. Some of the stories I heard would make my stomach turn. That’s what they come up in, that’s their normal, and I’m not sure how you fix that. These are good kids but they’ve done unthinkable things. It’s hard to wrap your mind around it. You see a youngster daily and he’s laughing and joking, you pass him on the yard, give a fist bump and an “alright now.” I was locked up with a lot of cats like that. Most of the Paisas I knew that got out are now dead. Almost every one of them. Crazy violent world down there. But then, if you study the history of Mexico, you see how steeped in violence and death the culture always has been. Genetic memory is a legit thing and you can see it and feel it when you spend time around a bunch of paisas or south siders, especially when shit pops off on a prison yard. Good question you had about slowing the violence down. There may not be an answer. That country has been in upheaval and unrest forever. This was a great interview. Well done.

@21cranberries21 Жыл бұрын

They're good kids?

@worldisfilledb 8 ай бұрын

@@21cranberries21you know what he means, some people are forced into that life who otherwise are good people just dic certain shit, when i was doing fed time youd see great people, super polite, would literally give you the shirt off their back, your logic, respectfully is silly, its like saying oh this guy is good because hes never done nothing bad, i know many bad people that have never been caught doing something but you can see in their personality that its only matter of time, not defending murders in general but some of the nicest people i met were murderers on the yard, especially the paisas, most killers there were pressured in.. if you were in cartel land, sometimes people join the cartels because theyre scared of them, sad but true, all love homie

@21cranberries21 8 ай бұрын

@worldisfilledb9334 you did fed time and some of the nicest people you met were murderers?..look my friend I have nothing in common with you, and I don't want to have anything in common with you. You're value system is something you should be ashamed of ...please don't message me again please

@willmosse3684 Жыл бұрын

As well as having balls of steel, this guy is so good at explaining things so you really feel it. Great interview technique too. Subbed

@AK-wn5ri 8 ай бұрын

I knew a couple who were travelling from US to South America in their van just after COVID started. They were stopped multiple times by Mexican cops and military and they had to pay them off each time else they would get inside the van and ruffle everything in the name of "searching". Then they were stopped by cartel, they did not know they were cartel as they were dressed in camo. When they spoke with them then they realised they were in deep trouble. But to their luck or not sure if cartel were not looking for victims that day, they were let go and were warned not to travel after sunset and if they do best to switch on cabin lights so that they can see inside the van. They found cartel members to be more professional than Mexican cops and they did not take any money from them. On the entire trip of Mexico (6 month trip) they were stopped by cartel 3 times. I think they were lucky and even foolish to try their luck so many times.

@miloreavis1125 Жыл бұрын

Great interview I'm glad I caught it so early

@A.rothriguez Жыл бұрын

Great show thank you

@HarryFlashmanVC 7 ай бұрын

Great interview Jordan, have a sub.

@DiegoMonroyF Жыл бұрын

Excellent guest! I've seen Ioan in other podcasts and he truly knows Mexico from a perspective that even most Mexicans like myself don't often hear about (I'm talking about minute details on how cartels operate). To add to the discussion, there are two important things that Ioan said that I'd like to emphasize. The first one is that Mexico is a _big_ country, so not everyone is exposed to the horrible crime and violence from cartels--most Mexicans fortunately do not deal with those levels of violence on a daily basis. There are many cities that have violence levels compared to most American cities, for example. The second clarification is that most violence has to do with cartels fighting each other or fighting with the government. Unless we're talking about high-violence cities or towns (where narcos live), people definitely won't start killing each other over a bar fight. I hope this adds more detail into a painful topic that even though the whole world knows about, it's very poorly understood. And especially by Americans, who are closer to this whole mess than they realize. It's a problem that is beyond just Mexico, and needs a bunch of countries to work together to halt this wave of violence and corruption.

@Ericsaidful Жыл бұрын

I've heard Monterrey is quite dangerous now. Someone I work with was related to the Mayor who was kidnapped and murdered. Naturally she lives in the US now and, as far as I can tell, is quite wealthy.

@nicholasp9004 Жыл бұрын

Well put hermano

@kingsman3087 Жыл бұрын

when will heroin be legalized? when will cocaine be legalized? when will meth be legalized?

@Ericsaidful Жыл бұрын

@kings man Hopefully fucking never. Meth is already legalized, just not in the form meth heads want. You want safe spaces for tweakers? With our entitled society who already doesn't want to work and shit, do you really think legalizing these things is a good idea? In China, at one point, one in three men were addicted to opium. Shit is too strong to just say "HERE YA GO"

@arturoserna4459 Жыл бұрын

A little correction on the genre. You called it mariachi but that's a whole other genre. Narco corrido is the genre that it's properly called. Narco corrido music is more like military style music mixed with polka. Band music basically which is far from mariachi lol and narcocorrido can be played with just a guitar too depending on the region and instruments used from set state/region of Mexico. Really enjoyed this podcast!

@JordanHarbingerShow Жыл бұрын

thanks -tbh I had no idea about the genres so I appreciate the comment

@kingsman3087 Жыл бұрын

when will heroin be legalized? when will cocaine be legalized? when will meth be legalized?

@biffdanielson2820 Жыл бұрын

Son de la Negra

@sandrasandy6221 11 ай бұрын

Corridos use to not be Narco. That shows how far reaching Narco is

@ishrendon6435 Ай бұрын

Traditional polka and mexican music sounds different nowdays amazing how it influenced mexican music and it just took a whole turn into something really unique. I like it as a spaniard its really beautiful aside from the ridiculous lyrics amd violent nonsense that domt benefit mexican society

@SuperKwame1 Жыл бұрын

It is so sad how human life is not valuable to some People! Money is only good for one thing, and that is to buy junk!

@kris301 Жыл бұрын

So... the chinese pioneered the drug industry in mexico and the states... and it was the british who got china addicted to opium. So it was the british empire who caused the drug epidemic and war in NA? 🤔😂

@AS-yg5dt Жыл бұрын

Hey Jordan and team, thank you for producing yet another fantastic episode and for introducing me to Ioan. Will check out part 2 and some of his books. All the Best 👍🏾

@JordanHarbingerShow Жыл бұрын

great! please use our website links to buy the books!

@rjflores438 Жыл бұрын

@TJHS The UK is civilized in the main. But dont be fooled, every major city in the UK has rough neighbourhoods, London, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, and there is a big problem with knife crime, and there is still some gun violence in cities like Liverpool and Birmingham but it isnt anywhere as bad as in the USA. However if you research into Manchester and Birmingham in the 1990s, both of those cities were dealing with shootings on an almost daily basis, as a result of street gangs from different zip codes and neighbourhoods battling control for the illegal drug trade, and all UK inner cities have very poor and run down neighbourhoods, a lot of inner city Manchester looks similar to South and West Philly with the boarded up row houses, when the gun laws got even strickter and it wasnt even worth being caught with an illegal gun because you would get a mandatory 6 year jail sentence, the gun violencein the UK dropped significantly. I am not comparing the UK with Honduras or El Salvador or certain states in Mexico like Sinaloa, the UK is far, far safer than those places.

@nolandderlugner1351 Жыл бұрын

You prop are one of THE best podcasters to exist right now

@JordanHarbingerShow Жыл бұрын

thanks K! The audio feed has even more than our YT channel :)

@kingsman3087 Жыл бұрын

when will heroin be legalized? when will cocaine be legalized? when will meth be legalized?

@NewTheoryMagazine Жыл бұрын

Interesting guest 🍿

@amgames5638 Жыл бұрын

I actually have been in Phnom Penh for over 2 months and haven't even seen the killing fields, I kinda want to see them now, thanks for the, uh, morbid tourist destination suggestion! lol

@jamesparkerone Жыл бұрын

Listen to some jungle music from the 90's I'm pretty sure it's different to the pirate radio your talking about..lol Another great interview

@paulfletcher3998 Жыл бұрын

Big up the Jungle Massive.

@HarryFlashmanVC 7 ай бұрын

I remember him on London pirate radio back in the 90s, if I recall, lots of garage music, house and late Rave.

@JustArtsCreations Жыл бұрын

If you havent yet, please report the bots spamming porn everyone. Also amazing podcast this guy is a great guest

@JordanHarbingerShow Жыл бұрын

thank you! and don't forget to check out my onlyfans hahah

@JustArtsCreations Жыл бұрын

@@JordanHarbingerShow Almost had me there lol i was heading for the report button. Thought i caughts me another bot. ...so...how bout that onlyfans?

@elishadeal1027 Жыл бұрын

My aunt told me a story she’s from Monterrey Mexico. A woman was looking for her daughter for so many years a man goes and says to her make me some tamales I’ll bring you everything (as she did this for a living). When she was done with the tamales the man went and said you just made tamales from your daughters body. She lost it.

@normanhenderson7300 Жыл бұрын

Even if true, this is this shows the evil of that life.

@themanfromdyatron4309 Жыл бұрын

Great shows mane , hey pls interview sf’s ricci wynne

@sandrasandy6221 11 ай бұрын

It's also dangerous for the bands themselves. When i was in a grave yard there i noticed all the fresh graves in various dates of burial. Like they are constantly burying people. There is a video out there of a guy getting his throat surgically cut and his head held up perfectly so he could slowly drown in his own blood as he bled out. They like to make videos...and make them slightly public

@GinoFerreri Жыл бұрын

I heard the audio version. This guy's a nutter to put himself in harm's way daily

@anaraluca1181 Жыл бұрын

What would be really great, if Ioan could talk about how these people are. Jordan says at some point that the heads are more intelligent like the others and therefore cutting them away creates instability. I do think the heads are also primitive apes. In the narco movies and series they are shown as strategists and intelligent. I dont believe this, but would still hear the opinion of somebody who met this people.

@gruunt4064 8 ай бұрын

you see the chopped up bodies but some of the videos out there are horrific, men and women being chopped up alive, men getting their heads scalped and faces sliced off while still alive, their insides being pulled out, all lsorts

@HarryFlashmanVC 7 ай бұрын

Don't ever watch the videos, you can never forget them and they rot your soul... literally... report them immediately.

@secretsquirrel1534 11 ай бұрын

The Stuff WE do South of the Border would blow people's Minds if They Really Knew !!! While working for the Alphabet of Agencies I spent way too much time down South !!!

@phillipdrake4371 Жыл бұрын

More views

@mrbear3487 Жыл бұрын

😊

@GCharlesLangisChip Жыл бұрын

When did Danny Bonaduce develop a British accent?

@joshua8084 Жыл бұрын

How can you confuse Godfather with Scarface? smh

@miaguilar5512 Жыл бұрын

Apostle Judá Sold Out Jesus For Silver 😅 So Did Sammy😅

@leomarkaable1 Жыл бұрын

Guy looks like a bit like Woody Allen. Content is not the same, though.

@william.333 Жыл бұрын

The only way to fix it is widen the "risk reward" gap lower the reward and increase the penalty or risk.

@ChicanoOne760 Жыл бұрын

You can also lower the consumption of drugs in the u.s.

@chiko_antraxx931 Ай бұрын

This guy full of sshhhhhh😂

@ScottMartin-dh1ys 8 ай бұрын

Doing this to intimadate people is as old as the bible

@JamesSmith-yl4sm 11 ай бұрын

Not knowing who el mencho is vs el mayo? Ioan is one of the most respected journalists in his field....he shouldn't have to explain it to you

@sandrasandy6221 11 ай бұрын

U.S. has screwd up mexico so hard..😢

@anaraluca1181 Жыл бұрын

A guy whose every second word is "yeah" calls himself a journalist.

@TheLazyClips Жыл бұрын

What do you have better than him to contribute as a journalist..?

@MD-zm6sn Жыл бұрын

They write. This differs from the action of speaking.

@DuttyBatch Жыл бұрын

Rubbish take

@issamramdani825 Жыл бұрын

What do you expect from him more than that

@leomarkaable1 Жыл бұрын

I understand Hemingway was very laconic.

@Socal71 9 ай бұрын

DECEPTION !!

@SamLamsTop10Thankyoueveryone 2 ай бұрын

Explain

@I_Shit_on_your_shit_point Жыл бұрын

Just here to count the liars in the comments section. Theres a lot…