Jorge Humberto Figueroa Benítez, better known as “La Perris,” was not just another criminal in the vast ranks of the Mexican drug trade. He was a key figure within Los Chapitos, the younger but no less brutal faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. His life came to an end during a Mexican government operation, and while some media outlets are celebrating his death as a victory against organized crime, the reality is far more sobering. The elimination of one criminal does nothing to stop the machinery of death that continues to poison U.S. communities with the most lethal substance in recent history: fentanyl.
Figueroa Benítez was on the U.S. most-wanted list, with a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his capture. This wasn’t for a one-off offense. He was deeply involved in the international trafficking of fentanyl, weapons, and laundered money—fueling a transnational enterprise that is stronger and more dangerous than ever.
Figueroa Benítez wasn’t just a person. He was a symptom of a much larger disease.
A Flagless Enemy: Fentanyl as a Weapon
Fentanyl is not a drug in the traditional sense—it’s a chemical weapon of mass destruction wielded by criminal organizations operating freely in Mexico. They exploit the lack of border control on the U.S. southern front to flood our streets with poison. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl—about the size of a few grains of salt—can kill an adult in minutes. Each week, more than 1,500 Americans die from synthetic opioid overdoses, the overwhelming majority caused by fentanyl made and smuggled by cartels like Sinaloa.
So where is the national outrage? Where are the emergency press conferences from the White House? Where is the war footing we should be taking to defend our people?
Silence is complicity. While Mexican authorities may celebrate “La Perris’s” death, let’s not forget that they allowed him to climb the ranks, traffic openly, and operate with impunity for years. His death is not justice—it’s damage control.
Mexico: A Failing State in Cartel Territory
The hard truth is that Mexico has lost control of large swaths of its territory. From Tamaulipas to Sinaloa, and Michoacán to Guerrero, the cartels rule. They collect taxes, enforce curfews, dictate laws, and carry out executions. Los Chapitos aren’t just fentanyl traffickers—they’re warlords involved in kidnapping, extortion, migrant smuggling, and weapons trading.
When a figure like Figueroa Benítez is killed, the network doesn’t collapse. It regenerates instantly. New leaders emerge. The shipments continue. The overdoses go on. Nothing truly changes. Without dismantling the root structures and treating these organizations as what they really are—foreign terrorist organizations—every «win» is temporary and meaningless.
This is where the U.S. must step in.
Weak U.S. Leadership Is Costing Lives
Under the current administration, the U.S. has seen a shocking decline in border security. Proven policies like Remain in Mexico were dismantled. Border patrol budgets have been slashed. The national conversation has shifted from protecting American lives to appeasing progressive interest groups. The result? Cartels now exploit every mile of porous border, using human waves as cover and fentanyl as their payload.
During Donald J. Trump’s presidency, we had a clear vision: identify the enemy and strike decisively. Trump called for cartels to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations, unlocking powerful military and intelligence tools to dismantle them. But the political establishment, terrified of offending Mexico and addicted to globalist diplomacy, blocked that move.
Now, with thousands more dead, that decision is proving fatal.
The U.S. Must Take Bold, Decisive Action
The death of “La Perris” should be a wake-up call—not a PR moment. It’s time for a fundamental rethinking of our national security and foreign policy. Enough with the soft talk about «cooperation.» If Mexico cannot—or will not—neutralize these threats, then the U.S. must consider unilateral action.
That means:
Designating cartels as terrorist organizations.
Authorizing covert operations to destroy drug labs on foreign soil.
Reinforcing the border with advanced military-grade technology.
Cutting funding to governments and NGOs that refuse to cooperate.
Reinstating strict immigration controls that disrupt trafficking networks.
Rights Rhetoric Can’t Compete with Body Bags
While fentanyl deaths surge, leftist activists and politicians insist the real crisis is “xenophobia,” “systemic racism,” or “misgendering.” The truth is simpler and far deadlier: there is no greater violation of human rights than letting your citizens die preventable deaths from cartel-imported poison.
This is not about race. It’s not about language. It’s not about inclusion. It’s about survival. Every contaminated pill, every gram of powder crossing our border, is a death sentence. Yet Washington elites focus on “equity.” Meanwhile, families across the U.S. bury their sons and daughters.
The Leadership We Deserve
The future of the U.S. requires more than speeches and hashtags. It demands bold, unapologetic leadership that puts U.S. interests first. We need to stop apologizing for wanting to protect our borders, our children, and our sovereignty.
We had that kind of leadership under President Trump. He understood that cartels are not business operations—they are foreign enemies. And only a commander-in-chief with that mindset can stop this war.
The death of Jorge Humberto Figueroa Benítez is not the end of anything. It’s a reminder of everything we still must do. Every day. Without apology. Without hesitation.
Because in this war, there is no neutral ground.
You are either on the side of those who protect life…
Or on the side of those who destroy it.
The post Fentanyl War: One Cartel Leader Down, Thousands to Go appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.