Big Arrest

Edgar Valdez Villarreal, known as la Barbie, has been arrested in Mexico State by the Federal Police. This marks four major arrests/killings for the Mexican government since December, with Nacho Coronel's death, Teo García arrest, and Arturo Beltrán Leyva's death preceding Villarreal's arrest. (Oddly, despite the much publicized deployment of the army around the country, the army has been heavily involved in only one of these events.) It would also seem likely to spell the end of the Beltrán Leyva organization as a significant force in Mexico's drug trade.

Also, Malcolm Beith offers an illustration that the government's supposed protection of Chapo is greatly exaggerated.