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Drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” was killed in a military operation on Sunday, the Mexican government said Sunday.
The former Jalisco state police officer who led the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, or CJNG, considered Mexico’s fastest-growing and deadliest drug cartel, was killed by Mexican security forces in Tapalpa in the western state of Jalisco, where he ran his cartel, the Mexican government said.
At least seven cartel members were killed in the operation, The New York Times reported.
Death after wounding
Oseguera Cervantes was wounded during a raid and died while being transported to Mexico City, according to a statement from the Mexican Defense Ministry published on X.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau also confirmed the cartel leader’s death, calling him “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug lords.” He added: “This is a great development for Mexico, the United States, Latin America and the world.”
Impact on relations with the USA
His death could strengthen ties between Mexico and the United States, as President Donald Trump has threatened military strikes against Mexico’s cartels if the country does not step up its crackdown on the groups. Last February, the Trump administration designated the CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization that engages in “extortion, human smuggling, oil and mineral theft, and arms trafficking,” in addition to trafficking in fentanyl and other drugs.
Violence erupted in western Mexico following the death of El Mencho. Vehicles were reportedly set on fire in at least six states, a common tactic used by drug cartels to evade military operations. Jalisco, whose capital Guadalajara is set to host the World Cup this summer, suspended public transport and Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro advised people in the region to stay home until the situation calms down.
Travel warnings and flight cancellations
The US government also asked US citizens in five states – Jalisco state (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas state (including Reynosa and other municipalities), parts of Michoacán state, Guerrero state and Nuevo León state – to “shelter in place until further notice.”
On Sunday, various airlines canceled flights or issued travel warnings for the region. Video footage on social media showed chaotic scenes at Guadalajara airport and smoke over Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco.
As ROLLING STONE previously reported, Oseguera Cervantes had been indicted multiple times in federal court in Washington, D.C. on drug trafficking, corruption and murder charges and was considered one of America’s top cartel targets. The murder rate in Mexico increased several times during the rule of Oseguera Cervantes. “We saw it get very bloody, and many attribute that to El Mencho himself,” Scott Stewart, senior antitrust analyst at Stratfor, a private intelligence firm, told RS in 2017. “Wherever they try to impose themselves by force, corpses are created.”
There was already a $5 million bounty on Oseguera Cervantes’ head in 2017. Most recently, the State Department offered $15 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of El Mencho, underscoring his growing status as America’s most wanted cartel boss who had eluded authorities for years – until Sunday.
