Boots on the Ground
In the latest episode of Narcos: Mexico Season 3, President Salinas is forced to take action to quash the cartel’s power and protect the people of Mexico. The president must work with his allies in the military and law enforcement to put an end to this violence. The cartel is angry, and they are determined to keep Mexico under their control. However, with each passing day, the president’s team becomes more entrenched in this fight.
The public attention given to the violence between the Sinaloa and Tijuana cartels has put them on the back foot. With cash rewards on offer, both gangs are wanted men. ..
The leader of Mexican authorities, General Jesus Rebollo, promises big results in the fight against the cartels. Andrea is still working her case too though, leading over to the airport and speaking to the staff about the men involved in the shooting.
With the help of her new friend, a Mexican detective, Andrea tracks down the video footage from the CCTV cameras in Tijuana that may have captured the shooting. She finds that one of her targets was on board the plane when it crashed into a mountainside, and now she has to find out who shot at her and why.
Andrea heads over to Carlos and tells him about the plane and how the casino is connected to all of this. When he throws shade at Lo Voz, Andrea keeps up the pressure… until the figurehead silently walks away. In doing so, he gets his lawyers involved to put pressure on the paper, promising to take them to court if they even think about bringing the family into the news story.
Now, given that Andrea never mentioned anything about money laundering, but that’s mentioned in the papers by the lawyers, it actually works in their favour a little, admitting indirectly that they’re guilty.
The Narcojuniors are now tasked with moving the gear on runs. This is a ploy to make them the scapegoats if they’re caught, but the boys don’t see it that way. Instead, Kitty and the others believe this is their way of moving up in the world. Naïve doesn’t even begin to cut it. ..
Meanwhile, Walt learns he’s part of the DEA taskforce being sent down to Tijuana. Walt actually asked to be part of this force but for Dani, that’s one step too far. She believes it’s a front to get out of moving to Chicago with her. She refuses to talk further on the matter though, shutting the door in his face. ..
For Walt, this desire to stop the drugs runs a lot deeper than simply stopping the drugs. He wants to put Amado behind bars once and for all, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
Walt’s taskforce is a success. Two of the members of the Logan Heights gang have admitted to killing the Cardinals, and Walt is at the center of bringing these men in for questioning.
At the Mexico/Guatemala border, Chapo is stopped by the Colonel and his men. Despite striking up a deal with them, the officers wait for them to leave before double-crossing him. They put out the word that a “dangerous Mexican fugitive” has just crossed the border. The Colonel and his men double-cross Chapo by putting out the word that a dangerous Mexican fugitive has just crossed the border. ..
Walt and Benjamin are in a tense standoff with the Mexican authorities, as a beautiful shot scene ensues. Suddenly, the authorities open fire, wounding both men. Benjamin manages to get away alive, but Ramon is killed.
The cartel members are ordered to stand down as they move outside the secure zone.
Walt is not happy with the General’s strategy. He wants to catch the traffickers, but the General doesn’t want to push it. He wants the people on his side, determined to catch every single drug trafficker in Mexico no matter what. His end-goal is actually similar to Walt’s, although the pair have very different ways of going about their objectives. However, hearing the General’s impassioned pitch, Walt agrees to do everything he can to help him.
After months of speculation, Mexican authorities announced on Wednesday that Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman had been apprehended at the border. The kingpin, who was once one of the world’s most powerful drug lords, is now facing a long prison sentence. The arrest of El Chapo has reignited public interest in the dark underbelly of Mexico - a place where powerful cartels and corrupt officials operate with little oversight. ..
Victor is our boots-on-the-ground guy who runs into Mrs. Barragan out in the street. Speaking to her, he learns Teresa was working at the auto-parts factory. Heading to the factory himself at night, he notices a whole group of girls getting on a bus heading for parts unknown. ..
The Episode Review
With El Chapo arrested and the authorities starting to close in on the men responsible for causing the death of the cardinal, there’s a definite shift in the balance of power. Amado’s noticeable absence this chapter paves way for Chapo and his men to be captured (there’s no honour among thieves of course) and Benjamin just narrowly avoiding capture.
This sequence along the stretch of road was shot beautifully, with some excellent camera work to really drive home the message of how brutal this shooting can be on the streets.
This addition to the Narcos series provides a new perspective on Mexico and the conflict between Walt and General Rebollo.
Narcos: Mexico has been an enthralling watch and everything is left wide open for the next episode.
