The Mexican army killed Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in Jalisco on Sunday. Oseguera Cervantes, long considered Mexico’s most powerful cartel boss and a major target for both Mexican and U.S. authorities, died from injuries while being transported to Mexico City. His death triggered immediate and intense retaliation from CJNG members, who set vehicles ablaze and blocked roads across multiple states, prompting school closures, travel disruptions, and warnings from both U.S. and Canadian embassies for residents and tourists to shelter in place.
The operation, carried out by Mexican special forces with U.S. intelligence support, represents the most significant blow yet to the cartel known for trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine into the United States. CJNG has a reputation for extreme violence, including attacks on military forces, use of drones with explosives, and high-profile assassination attempts. Analysts say the move signals a more aggressive stance by President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, which has faced pressure from the U.S. to show progress against drug trafficking.
Oseguera Cervantes, originally from Michoacán, had been involved in drug trafficking since the 1990s and helped form CJNG after the death of his former boss, Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel. He had been indicted multiple times in the U.S. on charges related to drug trafficking, firearms, and running a criminal enterprise, with a $15 million reward offered for his capture. His death leaves uncertainty about the future of CJNG and raises concerns about potential fragmentation and further violence, a pattern seen after previous takedowns of major cartel leaders.
