Drug cartels across Mexico are increasingly turning to car bombs, explosive drones and improvised explosive devices. The trend has raised concerns about a new phase of cartel violence. It could also add pressure to Mexico’s already tense relationship with US President Donald Trump.
Trump has repeatedly threatened stronger action against Mexican criminal groups. His administration has also classified several Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
The latest attack took place Sunday night outside a police station in Ojocaliente, Zacatecas. The explosion did not kill anyone. However, it injured 11 people and damaged more than 60 homes.
Mexico’s security chief Omar García Harfuch said the attackers used about 200 kilograms of explosives. He made the comments during a visit to Zacatecas with President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Zacatecas has recorded 23 explosive attacks so far this year, according to state Attorney General Cristian Paul Camacho. Six of those attacks involved cars or motorcycles loaded with explosives.
Cartels Have Fought for Control of Zacatecas
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel have fought for years over control of Zacatecas. Their battle has contributed to violence across the state.
Explosive attacks remain less common in Mexico than in countries such as Colombia. However, security experts say the growing use of explosives has created a serious new challenge.
Victor Manuel Sánchez, a University of Coahuila professor who studies car bombings, said Mexican criminal groups have used vehicle bombs for decades.
One early case occurred in Guadalajara in 1994. The Tijuana Cartel reportedly targeted Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
More recently, the CJNG has expanded its use of explosives as it has extended its influence across Mexico. Authorities linked two recent bombings in small cities to the group.
One attack occurred in Michoacán in December and killed five people. The other involved the recent explosion outside the police station in Zacatecas.
Explosives Have Become a Growing Threat
Mexican cartels began using explosives more extensively about five years ago. Criminal groups have dropped explosives from drones and planted devices along roads.
They have used these weapons against security forces and rival groups. Some groups have also used buried explosives to defend territory.
In 2023, cartel explosives planted on roads in Jalisco killed six people and injured 14 others. The incident prompted the Mexican military to acknowledge the growing threat.
The military later said it had seized about 2,800 explosive devices across Mexico over the previous four and a half years.
Authorities deactivated nearly 3,200 explosive devices in Michoacán alone the following year. In 2025, an explosive device killed eight soldiers in the state.
Organized crime expert Vanda Felbab-Brown said the development represents a serious escalation. She warned that the growing use of explosives could increase fear and retaliation.
President Sheinbaum, however, has defended her government’s security strategy. She said a nationwide decline in killings shows that the strategy is producing results.
Car Bombs Can Spread Fear
Experts say cartels can use car bombs for more than battlefield attacks. The explosions can intimidate government officials and rival criminal groups.
They can also frighten civilians and attract widespread attention.
Carlos Pérez Ricart, an international studies professor at Mexico’s CIDE university, said cartels can use dramatic attacks to pressure authorities. Criminal groups may also use them to push officials toward negotiations when they feel under increasing pressure.
The psychological impact can therefore become as important as the physical damage.
Mexico Avoids Calling Cartel Violence Terrorism
Mexico has traditionally avoided describing cartel violence as terrorism. Officials have raised concerns that such a classification could encourage foreign intervention.
Authorities have also argued that cartels mainly pursue financial goals. Terrorist groups, by comparison, often pursue political or ideological objectives.
However, Mexican criminal groups have carried out attacks that killed civilians.
In 2008, attackers threw grenades into crowds celebrating Independence Day in Morelia, Michoacán. The attack killed eight people and wounded dozens.
Three years later, gunmen set fire to a casino in northern Mexico. The attack killed 52 people.
The issue has gained greater importance under the Trump administration. Washington has designated eight Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
The US has also cited the designation when discussing possible military action. That approach has triggered legal and political debate in both the United States and Mexico.
Pérez Ricart has warned against treating organized crime like traditional terrorism. He argues that governments cannot simply eliminate a criminal group and expect the problem to disappear.
The drug trade involves a much larger illegal market. As a result, removing one cartel could leave space for another group to take its place.
For Mexico, the growing use of explosives adds another challenge to an already difficult security crisis. The attacks remain relatively limited in scale, but experts warn that their use could deepen fear and increase tensions between criminal groups, authorities and civilians.
