Mexico’s Jalisco Cartel Leader Killed, Sparking Violence Across Western States
Guadalajara, Mexico – Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed Sunday in a military operation, Mexican officials confirmed. The operation unleashed widespread chaos across the western states of Jalisco, Michoacan, Tamaulipas, Colima, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes and Veracruz, with cartel members responding by blocking roads, setting vehicles ablaze, and engaging in gun battles.
The federal official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated the operation took place in the municipality of Tapalpa, Jalisco. The violence that followed prompted authorities to deploy federal reinforcements to regain control.
Videos circulating on social media showed plumes of smoke rising over Puerto Vallarta and scenes of panic at the city’s airport, where travelers fled terminals. Air Canada suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta Sunday afternoon “due to an ongoing security situation.”
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro confirmed the clashes on X, stating that individuals had burned and blocked vehicles “with the aim of hindering the actions of authorities.”
The CJNG has rapidly grown to become one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration considers the cartel to be on par with the notorious Sinaloa cartel in terms of power and reach.
The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Oseguera’s arrest. He had been indicted multiple times in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia since 2017.
The cartel’s aggressive tactics have included attacks on the military, even targeting helicopters, and the innovative use of explosives launched from drones and landmines. In 2020, the CJNG carried out a brazen assassination attempt in Mexico City against the then-head of the capital’s police force.
The U.S. government designated the CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization in February 2020, recognizing the threat it poses not only to Mexico but also to international security. The cartel operates in all 50 U.S. states, distributing tons of illicit drugs and generating billions of dollars from methamphetamine and fentanyl production.
Oseguera’s death represents a significant blow to organized crime in Mexico and is expected to trigger a power struggle within the CJNG. The U.S. State Department urged American citizens in the region to shelter in place.
