They're all feeding a giant organization that is also supplying the United States with drugs

and other horrible things.

And they're also fueling a war that's killing and consuming humanity in Mexico at a rate

that is sometimes outfucking surpasses a war setting.

How can I help?

How can I be useful in ending needless suffering? Do not be afraid of work

that has no end. We have to organize a social movement. We have an opportunity to lead by example

versus just talking, hot air.

I think the more people in this fight, the more we grow, eventually it could change.

You know, the people are the ones that can make the change.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Change Agents, an Ironclad original, presented by Montana Knife Company.

Today's episode is about the rise of the Mexican drug cartel, the power that they wield

from the perspective of former Mexican counter-narcotics officer Ed Calderon. Ed Calderon is a

security specialist and an instructor with operational experience along the U.S.-Mexico border.

He was born in Tijuana, and he spent years in law enforcement with an operations group

specializing in counter-narcotics, anti-abduction, and high-risk close protection for high-profile individuals.

Ed has consulted with and trained federal law enforcement agencies on both side of the border,

from the FBI to Bortak and intelligence service agents on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

He also hosts the Manifesto Radio podcast. A few stats

about the power of the Mexican drug cartels. The U.S. Attorney General, Merrick Garland,

has recently said that the Mexico-based Sinaloa cartel is the largest, most violent, and most

prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world.

...