Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as El Mencho, has died after suffering injuries during a military operation in western Mexico, the country’s defence ministry announced Sunday.
Officials said the cartel leader was wounded during a security raid in Jalisco and later succumbed to his injuries while being transported by air to Mexico City. El Mencho headed the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which over the past decade expanded into one of Mexico’s most dominant organised crime groups and a major conduit for drug trafficking into the United States.
Wave of unrest follows
Shortly after news of his death emerged, violence erupted in several regions believed to be CJNG strongholds. Authorities reported burning vehicles, armed blockades and highways obstructed in multiple states, including Jalisco.
In Guadalajara, cars were set ablaze to block key roads, while videos circulating online showed smoke rising over parts of Puerto Vallarta. Residents in affected areas were urged to remain indoors as security forces responded.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro called on citizens to stay home until order was restored.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said federal authorities were working in close coordination with state governments to contain the unrest.
Long a top international target
El Mencho had been one of the most wanted drug traffickers globally. The US government had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture or conviction, accusing him of overseeing shipments of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl into North America.
CJNG was designated a foreign terrorist organisation during the administration of Donald Trump as part of a broader crackdown on transnational drug cartels.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau described the development as significant for regional security cooperation.
The US State Department issued security alerts advising American citizens in several Mexican states — including Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero and Nuevo León — to shelter in place. Canada issued similar guidance for its nationals in Puerto Vallarta.
Uncertain aftermath
Under Oseguera’s leadership, CJNG grew from a regional faction into a transnational criminal network known for heavily armed convoys and public displays of force. Though internationally less notorious than the Sinaloa Cartel once led by Joaquin Guzman, CJNG became one of Mexico’s most formidable criminal organisations.
Security analysts now warn that his death could trigger internal power struggles or further retaliatory violence as authorities attempt to stabilise affected regions.
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