Why, then, do the cartels so often court publicity with their gruesome executions? Many of their killings seem designed for a mass audience, filmed and promoted online using similar techniques to terrorist groups such as the Islamic State. In Ciudad Juárez, a pathologist once told me that the most dangerous time to step outside was at 5:45 p.m., because that was when the cartels would carry out their murders in order to lead the 6:00 p.m. evening news. The reason is often because one gang is seeking to cause trouble on the patch of a rival.
