Mexican cartel leader ‘El Mencho’ has been killed during a military operation
Mexican officials reported the death of Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, also known as ‘El Mencho,’ in a military raid on Sunday. This development comes as the government intensifies its efforts against cartels in response to threats of U.S. intervention.
The defense ministry of Mexico reported that a shootout in the western state of Jalisco resulted in serious injuries to Oseguera, who subsequently died during an air transfer to Mexico City. The ministry observed that U.S. authorities had offered “additional information.”
The operation triggered a surge of violence, featuring burned vehicles and armed individuals obstructing roads across multiple states.
Oseguera, a former police officer, was the enigmatic leader of the formidable Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), an organization named after the western state that hosts one of Mexico’s largest cities, Guadalajara.
In a brief span, the CJNG transformed into a global criminal organization, competing with former allies in the Sinaloa Cartel, the group led by the imprisoned kingpin Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, currently serving time in a U.S. prison.
The military operation targeting Oseguera comes after a campaign of pressure from the Trump administration on the government of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intensify its efforts against drug trafficking, which included U.S. threats of direct intervention in Mexico. “A government source familiar with the operation stated that the Defense Ministry led the effort for his arrest, which ultimately resulted in his death,” the source told Reuters.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau described Oseguera’s killing as a “great development” for both the U.S. and Mexico, along with the broader Latin American region.
The assassination of the kingpin brings about an important victory in Mexico’s battle against drug cartels, which are accountable for trafficking billions of dollars’ worth of cocaine and fentanyl into the United States. A surge of violence is anticipated to sweep through Mexico.
Vanda Felbab-Brown, a specialist in international organized crime, anticipates a significant level of violence.
She drew parallels between Oseguera and other prominent drug figures who have been apprehended recently, such as Guzman and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, both associated with the rival Sinaloa cartel. “Aside from the leaders of the Sinaloa cartel, El Mencho has been the most significant target for many, many years.”
Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro of Jalisco called on residents to remain at home until the situation is managed, while the U.S. embassy recommended that its citizens take shelter in place.
Footage circulating on social media depicts vehicles engulfed in flames, releasing thick plumes of smoke into the atmosphere, along roadways in Jalisco. Reports from Mexican media indicate that vehicles have been set ablaze and gunmen are obstructing highways in over six states nationwide, especially in the northern and western regions.
Air Canada (AC.TO) announced on Sunday that it has temporarily suspended operations in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, a favored beach resort destination for Canadians and Americans along the Pacific coast.
United Airlines (UAL.O) and American Airlines (AAL.O) have announced the cancellation of flight operations to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. “United Airlines flight operations to PVR are cancelled,” the carrier stated in an email to Reuters.
American Airlines informed Reuters in a separate statement that it has canceled flights to and from PVR and GDL for the rest of Sunday, Feb. 22.
