The key point of Mexico is that all that cartel and gang criminality is politically irrelevant. The electoral campaigns barely mention the issue and the politicians do not even talk about that. They care more about a new airport in Mexico DF and things like that.

You need to read special blogs and alternative press to get some news on the cartels. It's truly amazing, but it can happen in the US because, as you know, the press will not report about gang criminality at some point (that's racist, you know).