Threats Force U.S. to Suspend Activities in Mexico’s Avocado Heartland
Four cartels in Michoacan State have a history of extorting agricultural workers, including avocado farmers.
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico announced the State Department has suspended activities in Michoacan State.
“Due to a threat against American interests, U.S. government activities in Michoacan State have been suspended as of August 5,” according to the warning. “Reminder that the U.S. travel advisory designates Michoacan as a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ area.”
While the State Department did not specify the threat, four cartels work out of Michoacan State, all of which the administration designated as terrorist organizations:
- Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)
- Los Viagras
- La Nueva Familia Michoacána
- Cárteles Unidos
The cartels have a history of extorting agricultural workers, including avocado farmers:
While the U.S. Embassy did not specify the nature of the threat in its security alert, Michoacan Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla said on social media that the temporary halt to inspections was intended to safeguard workers following recent arrests linked to extortion. The inspections are necessary for avocados to be shipped to the United States and their suspension could disrupt exports.
The western state of Michoacan is the leading exporter of avocados to the U.S. and has a high level of organized crime activity with at least four cartels — designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration — operating in the region. Besides trafficking drugs, cartels also make money through extortion, including of the avocado industry.
Michoacan State Security Secretary Antonio Cruz told The Associated Press that one of the arrests mentioned by the governor was of “El Poncho,” the alias of Alfonso Fernández Magallón, leader of a local cartel operating in the avocado-growing region around Los Reyes.
The U.S. gets 80% of its avocados from Mexico. Avocados are considered “green gold” in Michoacán State, creating over 200,000 jobs.
Mexico sent America $3.65 billion worth of avocados in 2025. Those exports rose by 35% during the first quarter of 2026.
Michoacan Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla wrote on X:
We maintain fluid communication with the United States Embassy and a maximum coordination effort between its security area, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, and our Secretariat of Security. We join forces to address any concerns and ensure the swift restoration of operations, always safeguarding the development and tranquility of Michoacán.
Mantenemos una comunicación fluida con la Embajada de Estados Unidos y un trabajo de máxima coordinación entre su área de seguridad, la Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana y nuestra Secretaría de Seguridad. Unimos esfuerzos para atender cualquier inquietud y garantizar… pic.twitter.com/mgriu7RTlW
— Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla (@ARBedolla) August 5, 2026
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Comments
If you’re craving something green,
and the price of avocados is obscene
don’t waste your greenbacks on a dream!
when cheaper greens can join the team.
Grab a green banana,
wear a green bandana,
sip some green tea with a grin,
and save those dollars tucked within.
Awesome Paula,
Los Viagras must be the 50+ cartel.
They’re the Mexican subsidiary of the Stand Up Guys.
The competition is stiff
Oh, No’s!!!!! What will the avocado toast eating Lefties do (besides blame Trump for this)??!?!?!?
What’s this? A failed state on our border incapable of keeping the cartels in line enough that they don’t disrupt a huge export cash crop. Golly maybe we should be bringing the Iranian conflict to a close or at least a pause with decisive, crushing strikes to cripple the infrastructure of Iran, create a no go zone 25 miles inland and graciously allow our ‘allies’ to enforce it at the first inkling of Iranian backsliding. Then use the forces freed up from conflicts halfway around the world to reestablish our hegemony in our own hemisphere/backyard.
That would be too close to home for Trump and his sycophant bootlickers. Gotta keep the war in some distant land like the Middle East where Trump can more easily control the propaganda released to the US people. Trump wouldn’t want people to realize just how incompetent he is when dealing with foreign policy and affairs. That’s for sure.
To Commo Chief,
You misunderstand the threat coming from Iran.
You can declare a no go zone, and you will have to kill every person in that zone.
Including those hiding in.Caves, tunnels, basements, hospitals, orphanages, and schools.
The media will go insane as the IRGC, like Hamas, will make sure to have children, pregnant women, and hospital patients as human shields.
And once you do kill every single person in that restricted zone, they will move new people into that zone.
And they will keep firing those drones, no matter what.
These Islamic fundamentalist have an end of the world ideology.
And you killing their own people is a part of it
Bruh,
I have been in combat against Iranians in Iraq. I had a bounty placed on my head and that of my team members by the Iranians b/c we were effectively curb stomping them and their proxies. Please don’t presume I somehow don’t understand the threat posed by the Iranian regime or their determination.
The 25 mile no go zone? Yep exactly, lots of death. Drop leaflets. Use radio broadcast. Use Internet. Set a date to be gone or accept the consequences. Then turn it into rubble. Lots of people will absolutely be killed despite the warnings and despite the time/space given to depart. Not for nothing but we killed hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq doing similar things and Iraq only has about 55% the population size of Iran.
Treat the no/go zone enforcement just as we did curfews and people/vehicles who violated the ‘bubble’ area around our vehicle patrols/convoys (50-100 meters depending on location) and when approaching traffic control points, gates or fence lines ….we killed them, no questions asked. Period. It was a simple ‘if this, then that’ formulation applied to everyone; men, women, children, the old, the young, the healthy, the sick, the disabled, the mentally challenged and yes, pregnant women as well. Tough cookies. FWIW a .50 Cal burst will penetrate well beyond the target through walls behind it and who knows if there’s guilty or innocent people beyond. Again, tough cookies.
This isn’t any different. If it makes you feel better we could drop scatterable minefields along obvious avenues of approach and use random artillery fire to assist in discouraging reentry. Conflict means death and destruction. Either we are willing to see it through or we’re not. If not then that’s an even better argument to recall our forces and use them closer to home. Same if our regional ‘allies’ show too squeamish to enforce the no/go zone. We should be willing to assist them but not do all the heavy lifting for them.
Holy guacamole, Batman!
Avocado pickers, the Jolly Green Giants worst nightmare…
And then, there’s the explosive diarrhea issue…..avocados are like gut grenades!
With 85% of avocados being imported it sounds like we need more farmers growing avocados in the US. We had an avocado tree in the back yard when I was growing up. We also had a fig tree, 2 apple trees, a pear tree, peach tree. lemon tree, tangerine, and a kumquat tree.
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