Fear is the Message: How the Jalisco New Generation Cartel Weaponized Algorithms to Paralyze Mexico

Following the killing of CJNG leader El Mencho, the cartel launched an unprecedented wave of 252 coordinated narcobloqueos across 20 states—echoing the 2019 *Culiacanazo* at a national scale. Designed as a fear-driven, Instagram-ready show of strength, the operation blended real-world violence with digital tactics, resulting in dozens of deaths (including 25 national guardsmen) and triggering widespread panic despite limited civilian casualties.