Sheinbaums government has been doing too well, so start a war against the state by martyring your own pawn.

Organized crime in foreign countries allow for destabalizing the target while carrying yourself as the savior. Morena was forced to act on US Intel or risk political loss of face if they could take out a US wanted target but chose not to. US gains leverage in both cases.

Cartels do not exist.

Sometimes the most valuable thing you can do with an asset is burn it. Not as in "cut your losses", but as in "the time is right to play this card".