Cartel gunmen are increasingly seizing control of emergency rooms, forcing doctors at gunpoint to treat wounded criminals and fundamentally undermining Mexico’s health system.

At a Glance

• Multiple reports confirm cartel squads entering hospital ERs to demand care for their wounded, often with firearms drawn.
• Some cartels have even constructed private, cartel‑controlled medical facilities.
• Hospital staff report intimidation tactics including weapon brandishing and staff confinement.
• The Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) and Sinaloa cartels are the primary groups documented using these tactics.
• The phenomenon reflects a deeper erosion of state authority within critical public institutions.

Crisis in Care

Cartel incursions into emergency rooms have surged, as violent groups bypass hospitals or commandeer treatment spaces by brandishing weapons inside corridors and treatment cabins. In several cases, doctors have been ordered to treat gang members promptly—sometimes at the expense of other injured civilians. Some cartels have escalated further, establishing clandestine clinic‑like zones within or adjacent to hospitals, fully under their control. This behavior has forced doctors to comply with armed men or face potential violence.

This takeover not only disrupts standard emergency protocols—it also presents catastrophic ethical dilemmas, risking the wellbeing of other patients and hospital personnel. The medical profession is caught between the duty to treat and the instinct for self‑preservation, with reports emerging of staff hiding or fleeing under threat.

Watch a report: Inside Mexican cartels’ ‘schools of terror’ — YouTube

Broader Implications

This trend reflects a broader degradation of Mexico’s institutional safety, where violent cartels effectively undermine public services. According to background data, there have been over 460,000 cartel-related homicides since 2006, underscoring systemic violence. High‑profile cartels like CJNG and Sinaloa are deeply entwined in local corruption, operating with impunity within communities and institutions. Current Mexican leadership has declined foreign military assistance but is pursuing enhanced intelligence operations to reclaim control of public spaces and institutions.

A Chilling Shift

When cartel members storm emergency rooms armed and demand treatment, it marks a chilling shift—violence has invaded spaces once deemed sacred. The health sector is now on the front lines, and reversing this trend will require urgent, decisive intervention across security, legal frameworks, and hospital administration. The cost of inaction? A nation where even hospitals are no longer sanctuaries.