I predicted this a week ago. Trump is going to purge the cartels from Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. He's working top-down. Maduro and Venezuela were the big piece. Leo Silva, a former DEA special agent and group supervisory agent in Mexico, told me in conversation on the Brave New Normal podcast that Maduro has long been known as a top of the mountain figure in transnational narcotics, and has actively been working on behalf of cartels since he replaced Chavez (episode premieres March 18th). The US took out Maduro first because Venezuela is a major transport point for cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine moving north through the southern hemisphere. Taking out Maduro left a huge gap in that transportation route. El Mencho was next because of his influence in Mexico and power over Mexican government and authorities. Now the US is bringing down the hammer to secure the American continent. This is what Trump meant by America First—it's not just a mission to secure the United States of America, it's a mission to secure THE AMERICAS, which means north, south and the Caribbean. Trump and his administration know that the cartels own this part of the world, and that the cartels are working hand in hand with China. The Cuba purge will be an overnight operation. The Latin America purge will be a much longer battle but no match for US, Mexican and Salvadoran special forces. If the US can break up the cartels and shut down the transportation routes then they will starve out whatever remains. This is America First in action. It's not about empire building, it's about securing the empire that already exists.