MEXICO CITY- A major figure in global drug trafficking is dead — and Mexico is bracing for the fallout.
SUMMARY
- CJNG leader El Mencho was killed in a military operation backed by US intelligence.
- Violence has spread to at least a dozen Mexican states in retaliation.
- Roadblocks, fires and armed clashes have disrupted cities including Guadalajara.
Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho,” the head of the feared Jalisco New Generation Cartel, died after being seriously injured during clashes between his supporters and the Mexican army in Tapalpa, Jalisco state.
The operation, described by authorities as carefully planned and executed by Mexican special forces, resulted in the deaths of four CJNG members and injuries to three army personnel, according to the defence ministry.
The United States provided intelligence support for the mission.
Retaliation Spreads Across Mexican States
In the hours following confirmation of his death, violence spread rapidly.
CJNG loyalists reportedly blocked roads using burning vehicles across at least a dozen states. Some 250 roadblocks were reported nationwide, including 65 in Jalisco alone.
Shops were set ablaze, around 20 bank branches attacked, and gunmen were seen on streets in several areas. Eyewitness footage showed plumes of smoke rising over Guadalajara, one of the host cities for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro declared a code red, suspending public transport and cancelling public events and in-person classes.
Tourists described Puerto Vallarta as resembling a “war zone.”
The Mexican Security Cabinet later confirmed 25 arrests linked to the unrest.
International Reaction and Travel Disruptions
The unrest has triggered international warnings and flight cancellations.
Airlines including Air Canada, United Airlines, and American Airlines suspended flights to Jalisco.
The United States advised its citizens to shelter in place in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, parts of Michoacán, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon.
The UK government warned of “serious security incidents” and urged extreme caution.
Late Sunday, US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described El Mencho as a top target for both Mexico and the United States, particularly over fentanyl trafficking into the US.
The US State Department had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.
A Defining Moment in Mexico
El Mencho, a former police officer turned cartel boss, led one of the most powerful criminal organisations in the Americas.
Under his command, the CJNG expanded aggressively, trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States and beyond.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said there was “absolute coordination” between federal and state authorities and urged citizens to remain calm, adding that most parts of the country were functioning normally.
Mike Vigil, former Chief of International Operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration, called the operation “one of the most significant actions undertaken in the history of drug trafficking.”
But the coming days may determine whether the killing of El Mencho weakens the cartel — or ignites a prolonged power struggle within Mexico’s criminal underworld.
