The Mexican army killed Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during a military operation in the town of Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Sunday, February 22. A federal official confirmed that Oseguera Cervantes, aged 59, was wounded during a fierce firefight and died while being airlifted to Mexico City. Four other individuals were killed by troops during the raid, bringing the total dead to seven, while two people were arrested at the scene. Three members of the Mexican armed forces sustained injuries and were receiving medical treatment. Authorities seized armored vehicles, rocket launchers, and other weapons at the location.
The operation represents one of the most significant strikes against organized crime in Mexican history. The United States had offered a reward of up to 15 million dollars for information leading to El Mencho's arrest, and he had been indicted multiple times in U.S. District Court in Washington on charges including conspiracy and distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. Former DEA Chief Mike Vigil described the operation as one of the most significant actions in the history of drug trafficking, comparing Oseguera Cervantes in stature to Joaquin (El Chapo) Guzman and Ismael (El Mayo) Zambada. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called El Mencho one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins.
The killing triggered immediate and widespread cartel retaliation across at least six Mexican states, including Jalisco, Michoacan, Colima, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, and Aguascalientes. Burning vehicles and roadblocks erupted across multiple highways and urban areas within hours of the operation. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro activated a Code Red emergency protocol, suspending all public transportation across the state and urging residents to stay indoors. The governor stated on social media that the blockades had shifted to territorial boundaries and even to neighboring states.
The violence severely disrupted tourism and travel infrastructure. Tourists were evacuated from Puerto Vallarta, where smoke plumes were visible over the resort city as cartel members torched vehicles and blocked highways. The airport was partially closed. Air Canada suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta, while Southwest, Alaska, and Delta airlines also canceled flights or issued travel waivers. In Reynosa, Tamaulipas, on the border with Texas, cartel members blocked airport access roads. The U.S. State Department issued security alerts for Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero, and Nuevo Leon, advising American citizens to shelter in place.
The CJNG, co-founded by Oseguera Cervantes around 2007, had grown into one of Mexico's two most powerful cartels alongside the Sinaloa Cartel, with operations spanning all 50 U.S. states. In February 2025, the Trump administration designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization, citing its involvement in fentanyl trafficking, extortion, migrant smuggling, and weapons trade. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged the disruptions but stated that activities were proceeding with complete normality across most Mexican territory. The killing comes as Mexico faces mounting pressure from Washington over drug trafficking enforcement, and with Jalisco scheduled to host four matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June, the security situation in the region has taken on added urgency.
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