MEXICO CITY — Mexican security forces killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the 59-year-old leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel known as El Mencho, during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco on February 22, 2026, delivering a significant blow to one of the world’s most violent drug trafficking organizations while igniting widespread retaliatory violence across multiple states. The operation, which involved intense clashes between cartel members and the army, resulted in the deaths of four suspected gang members at the scene and injuries to three soldiers, according to Mexico’s defense ministry. This high-profile takedown comes amid ongoing pressure from the United States for Mexico to intensify its fight against cartels, with the White House confirming American intelligence support for the raid.
The confrontation unfolded in the town of Tapalpa, Jalisco, where special forces from the Mexican Army, backed by the Air Force and National Guard, executed a planned arrest attempt. During the firefight, El Mencho sustained severe gunshot wounds and died en route to Mexico City while being transported for medical treatment, defense officials stated. The raid also led to the seizure of armored vehicles, high-caliber weapons, and rocket launchers, highlighting the cartel’s militarized capabilities. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the nation shortly after, urging calm and emphasizing that normal activities continued in most parts of the country despite the unrest.
In the immediate aftermath, suspected CJNG operatives unleashed chaos in at least eight states, including Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Colima, Nayarit, Guerrero, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon. Reports detailed over 250 roadblocks, torched vehicles, and attacks on businesses and public transport, with videos showing buses engulfed in flames in Puerto Vallarta and gunmen clashing with security forces in Guadalajara. Mexico’s Security Cabinet reported that most blockades were cleared by late Sunday, but the violence disrupted major highways and prompted shootouts that left an undetermined number of casualties.
Former US Ambassador to Mexico Christopher Landau described the event as a great development for Mexico, the United States, Latin America, and the world, noting El Mencho’s status as one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins. Mike Vigil, a former chief of international operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, called the operation one of the most significant actions in the history of drug trafficking, underscoring its potential to disrupt CJNG’s operations.
The killing prompted immediate international responses, with the US State Department issuing a shelter-in-place advisory for American citizens in affected areas, including Jalisco, Tamaulipas, and parts of Michoacan, Guerrero, and Nuevo Leon. Similar warnings came from Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, India, and New Zealand, advising nationals to monitor local media, avoid non-essential travel, and follow authorities’ instructions. In Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination, officials enforced a shelter-in-place order as arson attacks spread, trapping visitors in hotels and airports.
Flight operations were severely impacted, with major carriers like American Airlines and Air Canada suspending services to Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta international airports. Passengers reported panic at terminals, with some taking cover amid distant gunfire and smoke visible from runways. Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency confirmed that operations resumed normally by Monday morning, but stranded travelers faced delays and cancellations, exacerbating the chaos for tourists caught in the crossfire of cartel retaliation.
El Mencho’s death marks a pivotal moment in Mexico’s ongoing battle against organized crime, as the CJNG had grown under his leadership into the country’s dominant cartel, rivaling the Sinaloa Cartel in scope and brutality. Founded in 2010 from the remnants of the Milenio Cartel, the CJNG expanded rapidly through aggressive territorial conquests, corruption of officials, and alliances with international suppliers. The group is responsible for trafficking billions of dollars worth of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States, with US authorities reporting that 96 percent of seized fentanyl since October 2024 entered via the Mexico border.
Born on July 17, 1966, in Aguililla, Michoacan, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes grew up in poverty, working avocado fields before dropping out of school in fifth grade. By age 14, he guarded marijuana plantations, setting the stage for his criminal ascent. In the 1980s, he immigrated illegally to California, where he faced multiple arrests for drug-related offenses, including heroin distribution and possession of loaded firearms. Deported several times, he returned to Mexico in the 1990s, briefly serving as a local police officer in Jalisco before fully committing to the Milenio Cartel.
His marriage to Rosalinda González Valencia in 1996 solidified ties to the Valencia family, key players in the Milenio Cartel. Following the arrest of Milenio leaders and the death of Sinaloa ally Ignacio Coronel Villarreal in 2010, internal fractures led to the formation of the CJNG. El Mencho emerged as its leader, rebranding the group and launching brutal campaigns against rivals like Los Zetas and the Knights Templar Cartel. Under his command, the CJNG controlled drug routes in states including Jalisco, Colima, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Veracruz, Morelos, Guerrero, and Michoacan, extending influence to the US, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The cartel’s estimated assets reached $50 billion, with El Mencho’s personal net worth speculated between $500 million and over $1 billion by DEA officials. He diversified operations from methamphetamine to heroin in response to market demands, establishing production hubs in Guanajuato. His leadership style emphasized violence, including high-profile attacks such as downing a Mexican army helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade in 2015, killing nine soldiers, and ambushing police convoys that resulted in dozens of deaths.
El Mencho’s elusiveness was legendary; he evaded capture for years despite bounties escalating to $15 million from the US and 300 million pesos from Mexico. Health issues, including kidney disease, led him to build a private hospital in Michoacan around 2020, and he had not been publicly seen since then. His family played integral roles in the cartel: his son Rubén Oseguera González, known as El Menchito, served as second-in-command until his 2014 arrest and 2020 extradition to the US, where he was convicted in 2024 for murder, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses.
Other relatives included his wife Rosalinda, arrested multiple times for money laundering and identified as the CJNG’s financial chief; daughter Jessica Johanna Oseguera González, who pleaded guilty to US charges in 2021; and brothers like Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, extradited in 2025. His nephew Omar Eleazar Oseguera Cervantes acted as security chief, while alliances with groups like Los Cuinis, led by his brother-in-law Abigael González Valencia, bolstered the cartel’s global reach.
The CJNG’s tactics extended beyond drugs to extortion, fuel theft, and human trafficking, terrorizing communities with public displays of violence, such as hanging bodies from bridges to intimidate rivals. In 2018, the cartel kidnapped and murdered two agents from Mexico’s Criminal Investigation Agency, prompting bounty increases. El Mencho ordered the assassination of betrayers, including former ally Erick Valencia Salazar, leading to the formation of the rival Nueva Plaza Cartel in 2017.
US involvement in combating the CJNG intensified under multiple administrations, with designations of El Mencho as a global terrorist and sanctions on cartel assets. The intelligence shared for the February 22 operation underscores bilateral cooperation, especially as President Donald Trump pressured Mexico to deliver results against drug flows. White House statements confirmed the support, with US Ambassador Ronald Johnson praising the Mexican forces’ professionalism.
Analysts warn that El Mencho’s death could create a power vacuum within the CJNG, potentially leading to internal fractures or escalated conflicts with rivals like the Sinaloa Cartel. Vigil noted that while the takedown disrupts leadership, the cartel’s decentralized structure might allow mid-level operators to continue activities. Landau emphasized the broader implications for regional security, suggesting it could reduce the flow of fentanyl and other synthetics plaguing the US.
Mexico’s government views the operation as a victory in President Sheinbaum’s strategy to confront cartels through intelligence-led actions rather than all-out war. Sheinbaum’s call for calm reflected efforts to minimize public panic, as activities normalized in unaffected areas. However, the widespread retaliation demonstrates the CJNG’s extensive network and capacity for disruption, raising questions about long-term stability.
Historically, the elimination of high-profile cartel leaders has mixed outcomes. The capture of Sinaloa’s Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman in 2016 led to power struggles but did not dismantle the organization. Similarly, El Mencho’s removal might fragment the CJNG, but experts like those from the DEA predict short-term violence as successors vie for control. The cartel’s international ties, including methamphetamine sourcing from China and cocaine from Colombia, complicate eradication efforts.
In Michoacan, El Mencho’s birthplace, local communities have long suffered from cartel influence over avocado production and mining. Vigilantes formed self-defense groups in 2013 to combat the Knights Templar, but the CJNG’s infiltration perpetuated cycles of violence. The 2026 operation in Tapalpa, a rural area, highlights the challenges of pursuing leaders in remote strongholds.
The economic impact of the unrest was immediate, with tourism hotspots like Puerto Vallarta facing cancellations that could cost millions. Businesses in Guadalajara reported closures, and public transport halts affected daily life. International advisories may deter visitors long-term, straining Mexico’s tourism-dependent economy.
El Mencho’s legacy includes pioneering synthetic drug production, contributing to the US opioid crisis. US seizures linked to CJNG underscore the cartel’s role in fentanyl distribution, with thousands of pounds intercepted annually. His death might temporarily hinder supply chains, but adaptation is expected.
Family dynamics added layers to El Mencho’s operations. His separation from Rosalinda in 2018 and relationship with Guadalupe Moreno Carrillo did not diminish her role in finances. Daughters and sons-in-law faced US prosecutions, eroding the clan’s structure. The 2024 arrest of son-in-law Cristian Fernando Gutiérrez Ochoa, who faked his death, exemplified the lengths taken to evade justice.
Brothers like Abraham “Don Rodo” Oseguera Cervantes, recaptured in 2025 after a brief release, handled money laundering through properties. The family’s interconnectedness with Los Cuinis amplified the CJNG’s resilience, but successive arrests weakened it over time.
The operation’s success relied on precise intelligence, likely from US sources tracking El Mencho’s movements. Previous attempts, like the 2015 Operation Jalisco, failed amid cartel countermeasures, including helicopter downings. This time, air support and rapid deployment overwhelmed defenses.
Public reaction in Mexico mixed relief with fear of escalation. In Jalisco, residents reported gunfire and smoke, while national media covered the events extensively. Sheinbaum’s administration pledged continued action against organized crime, aligning with US demands for border security enhancements.
Globally, the event drew attention to transnational crime networks. The CJNG’s presence in Europe and Asia for precursor chemicals and distribution highlights the need for international cooperation. Vigil suggested that disrupting leadership could lead to alliances or mergers among fragments, altering the cartel landscape.
In the US, where CJNG operates in cities like Chicago—designating El Mencho as “Public Enemy Number One“—law enforcement anticipates reduced fentanyl flows. However, experts caution that production shifts to other groups could maintain supply levels.
Mexico’s military role in anti-cartel efforts has evolved, with the National Guard supplementing army operations. The Tapalpa raid exemplifies this integrated approach, but human rights concerns arise from past excesses. No civilian casualties were reported in this instance, per official accounts.
As investigations continue, authorities aim to identify successors and dismantle remaining infrastructure. The seizure of weapons during the raid provides leads on suppliers, potentially leading to further arrests.
The violence’s scale—spanning multiple states—illustrates the CJNG’s organizational depth. Blockades in Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, far from Jalisco, suggest coordinated responses, possibly pre-planned contingencies.
Tourist accounts from Puerto Vallarta described hearing explosions and seeing armed patrols, underscoring the human impact. One American visitor interviewed by media expressed fear but noted hotel staff’s assistance during sheltering.
Economically, Jalisco’s industries, including tech in Guadalajara, faced disruptions, with remote work advisories issued. The avocado sector in Michoacan, long extorted by cartels, might see temporary relief but risks new exploiters.
El Mencho’s cockfighting passion, earning him “El Señor de los Gallos,” reflected cultural ties in rural Mexico, where such events mask illicit activities. His low-profile lifestyle contrasted with flashy predecessors like El Chapo.
Forward, Mexico anticipates potential power struggles within the CJNG, with figures like El Menchito’s associates possibly emerging. Enhanced US-Mexico collaboration could yield more operations, while Sheinbaum’s government monitors for stabilization. Experts predict short-term unrest but long-term weakening of the cartel, offering hope for reduced violence.
Conclusion
The killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes represents a landmark in Mexico’s fight against drug cartels, disrupting the Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s leadership and highlighting international cooperation, though it also unleashes immediate violence and raises questions about future stability in the region’s ongoing battle with organized crime.
