Mexican cartel kingpin ‘El Mencho’ is dead. Will a violent battle for control follow in Tijuana?

The recent death of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel has been hailed as a major blow to organized crime in Mexico and the United States. Now, many are questioning whether the ramifications could lead to an escalation of violence.

In Baja California, state officials said this past week that they are considering all possibilities as they assess the risk. Similar concerns have been raised in many Mexican states following the killing of cartel kingpin Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” in a Mexican military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, one week ago.

The cartel’s response was immediate last weekend, playing out across 20 Mexican states. In Baja California, the turmoil lasted nearly 30 hours. On Sunday, reports of burned vehicles and stores emerged statewide, prompting a security alert from U.S. authorities and for...