A Mexican Cartel's Swift and grisly Climb

La Familia Michoacana, drug cartel and messianic cult, "promises to protect the poor while meting out "divine justice" to its enemies, including rituals in which executioners carve cryptic initials in their victims' foreheads." [Quotation from Washington post article.] the effect of the counter-narcotics strategy has been to change the nature of Mexico's drug cartels, rather than to eliminate them.
la Familia is new, as is Los Zetas, a group of rogue special forces personnel. But the article also hints that there is a political side to the anti-narcotics campaign, with mayors who oppose the governing party being arrested.
La Familia is establishing civil society and support networks. there is, of course, a piec on this in this month's Newsletter.