Capture of a Drug Lord Is a Small Win in Mexico

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/world/americas/servando-gomez-mexican-drug-lord-who-led-knights-templar-gang-is-captured.html?action=click&contentCollection=Americas&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&pgtype=article

Drug lord Servando Gomez, also known as La Tuta or The teacher, was captured in the capital Morelia of his home state Michoacán with no shots fired. Although he was the leader of a dangerous drug cartel named "The Knights of the Templar" experts say that it is no longer enough to capture the kingpins because it leads to smaller gangs breaking out, which leads to fights over territory, kidnapping, and extortion. In addition to these smaller groups, the Mexican government is facing changes as the Attorney General steps down and as the office becomes seperate from the president's cabinet. In order to address these drug gangs in a meaningful way, the Mexican government must first address the issue of corruption that allowed the cartels to flourish in the first place. But as Mr. Benitz points out, the governement had "not decided to fight corruption because that would mean fighting against itself, against the sick part of itself."

Allie Grossmann