Mexico’s Most-Wanted Kingpin “El Mencho” Killed in Raid; Cartel Violence Triggers Global Travel Alerts
By Web Desk :
Mexico’s most-wanted drug lord, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, has been killed during a military operation, sparking a wave of retaliatory violence that has paralyzed parts of the country and prompted international travel warnings.
The 60-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) died after being wounded in a raid by Mexican special forces in Tapalpa, a town on the Pacific coast in Jalisco state, according to Mexico’s defence ministry.
His body was transported to Mexico City on Sunday under heavy guard by National Guard troops.
The United States provided intelligence support for the operation, the White House confirmed. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the Mexican military’s cooperation and successful execution of the raid.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau described Oseguera’s killing as a significant achievement for both nations and the wider Latin American region.
Cartel Retaliation
Following news of Oseguera’s death, cartel members launched coordinated attacks across more than half a dozen states. They blocked highways with burning vehicles and set businesses ablaze, causing widespread disruption.
In Puerto Vallarta, a popular beach resort in Jalisco, tourists described scenes of panic as columns of dark smoke rose from around the bay. Several major airlines, including Air Canada, United Airlines, Aeromexico, and American Airlines, suspended flights to affected areas.
The US State Department advised American citizens in parts of Mexico to shelter in place, particularly in Jalisco, Baja California, and several other states. Canada also issued travel advisories, while Air Canada cancelled flights to Puerto Vallarta citing security concerns.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged citizens to remain calm, assuring that most areas of the country were functioning normally. However, schools in various states preemptively cancelled classes for Monday, and Jalisco’s governor issued a red alert, suspending public transport and cancelling all large public events.
From Police Officer to Kingpin
Oseguera began his career as a police officer before founding and building the CJNG into one of Mexico’s most formidable criminal organizations. Named after the western state of Jalisco, the cartel has become known for its extreme violence and rapid expansion.
Under his leadership, CJNG diversified far beyond drug trafficking, branching into fuel theft, extortion, human smuggling, and sophisticated financial fraud. The cartel also pioneered the use of drones to attack civilians in remote areas as part of its territorial expansion strategy.
The US Department of Justice has described CJNG as one of Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organizations. American authorities had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Oseguera’s capture, classifying the cartel as a terrorist group and accusing it of flooding the US with fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Uncertain Future
Security analysts now warn that Oseguera’s death could trigger bloody infighting as rival factions within the cartel compete for control.
Carlos Olivo, a former US Drug Enforcement Administration official and expert on CJNG, predicted that skirmishes between various factions could persist for years.
David Saucedo, a Mexico City-based security consultant, noted that with Oseguera’s son already imprisoned in the United States, no clear family successor exists, making an internal power struggle among top lieutenants highly likely.
The operation represents one of the most significant blows against Mexican drug cartels since the captures of Sinaloa Cartel leaders Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, both now held in US prisons.
President Sheinbaum faces the delicate task of intensifying cooperation with Washington on cartel enforcement while maintaining Mexico’s sovereignty and resisting any suggestion of unilateral US military action on Mexican soil.
About Author
