Who is El Mencho? Mexico's most wanted drug lord dies in an intensive military operation
El Mencho's death immediately triggered violent reactions from his supporters. Vehicles were torched, highways were blocked, and gunmen clashed with security forces across multiple states
- Feb 23, 2026,
- Updated Feb 23, 2026 8:15 AM IST
Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the powerful head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), died after being wounded in a military operation in the western state of Jalisco, Mexico’s defence ministry said on Sunday. He succumbed to injuries sustained during the raid and died while being airlifted to Mexico City, officials added.
His death immediately triggered violent reactions from his supporters. Vehicles were torched, highways were blocked, and gunmen clashed with security forces across multiple states, including Jalisco. In Guadalajara, smoke filled the skyline as residents stayed indoors and public life slowed to a standstill.
Who was El Mencho?
At 59, El Mencho had become one of the most feared names in organised crime. A former police officer from Aguililla in Michoacán, he transformed CJNG into what the US Drug Enforcement Agency described as one of the “most powerful and ruthless criminal organisations” operating in Mexico.
His criminal trajectory began decades ago. In the 1990s, he moved to the United States, where he was convicted in 1994 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California for conspiracy to distribute heroin. After serving nearly three years in prison, he returned to Mexico and resumed involvement in drug trafficking.
Back in Mexico, he worked with drug lord Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, known as “Nacho Coronel.” Following Villarreal’s death, Oseguera Cervantes and Erik Valencia Salazar, alias “El 85,” founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel around 2009.
Initially aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG later split and emerged as a rival force. For years, the two cartels battled for control of trafficking routes across Mexico.
By the mid-2010s, El Mencho was among the world’s most wanted fugitives. US authorities offered up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest. Since 2017, he had faced multiple indictments in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. In 2022, the US Justice Department charged him with leading the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl for import into the United States.
The operation and its aftermath
The military raid that led to his death took place in Tapalpa, Jalisco, involving multiple federal security forces. According to Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defence, CJNG members exchanged fire with troops, leaving four gang members dead at the scene.
The aftermath was immediate and widespread.
Suspected cartel members set buses on fire, blocked roads and clashed with authorities. Burning vehicles were reported in nearly a dozen states. In Puerto Vallarta, smoke was seen rising above the city, while videos showed passengers running through Guadalajara airport amid panic.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro urged residents to remain at home, and public transportation was suspended in parts of the state.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on X that the federal government was maintaining “absolute coordination” with state authorities.
The unrest disrupted air travel. Air Canada suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta “due to an ongoing security situation.” Domestic and international flights were cancelled in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, and taxis and ride-share services were halted in affected areas.
The US State Department advised citizens in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero and Nuevo León to remain in safe locations and shelter in place. US government staff in several states were given similar instructions. Canada’s embassy in Mexico also warned its citizens in Puerto Vallarta to shelter in place and keep a low profile.
Violence extended beyond Jalisco, reaching Michoacán and Guanajuato, a sign of CJNG’s operational reach.
A cartel built on expansion and force
Under El Mencho’s leadership, CJNG grew rapidly, expanding its footprint across Mexico and into international drug markets. The cartel became a major player in fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking.
Security analysts have long noted that CJNG relied on coordinated displays of force to resist state pressure. Sunday’s arson attacks and roadblocks reflected tactics frequently used by Mexican cartels to disrupt military operations and signal continued strength.
Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the powerful head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), died after being wounded in a military operation in the western state of Jalisco, Mexico’s defence ministry said on Sunday. He succumbed to injuries sustained during the raid and died while being airlifted to Mexico City, officials added.
His death immediately triggered violent reactions from his supporters. Vehicles were torched, highways were blocked, and gunmen clashed with security forces across multiple states, including Jalisco. In Guadalajara, smoke filled the skyline as residents stayed indoors and public life slowed to a standstill.
Who was El Mencho?
At 59, El Mencho had become one of the most feared names in organised crime. A former police officer from Aguililla in Michoacán, he transformed CJNG into what the US Drug Enforcement Agency described as one of the “most powerful and ruthless criminal organisations” operating in Mexico.
His criminal trajectory began decades ago. In the 1990s, he moved to the United States, where he was convicted in 1994 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California for conspiracy to distribute heroin. After serving nearly three years in prison, he returned to Mexico and resumed involvement in drug trafficking.
Back in Mexico, he worked with drug lord Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, known as “Nacho Coronel.” Following Villarreal’s death, Oseguera Cervantes and Erik Valencia Salazar, alias “El 85,” founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel around 2009.
Initially aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG later split and emerged as a rival force. For years, the two cartels battled for control of trafficking routes across Mexico.
By the mid-2010s, El Mencho was among the world’s most wanted fugitives. US authorities offered up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest. Since 2017, he had faced multiple indictments in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. In 2022, the US Justice Department charged him with leading the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl for import into the United States.
The operation and its aftermath
The military raid that led to his death took place in Tapalpa, Jalisco, involving multiple federal security forces. According to Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defence, CJNG members exchanged fire with troops, leaving four gang members dead at the scene.
The aftermath was immediate and widespread.
Suspected cartel members set buses on fire, blocked roads and clashed with authorities. Burning vehicles were reported in nearly a dozen states. In Puerto Vallarta, smoke was seen rising above the city, while videos showed passengers running through Guadalajara airport amid panic.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro urged residents to remain at home, and public transportation was suspended in parts of the state.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on X that the federal government was maintaining “absolute coordination” with state authorities.
The unrest disrupted air travel. Air Canada suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta “due to an ongoing security situation.” Domestic and international flights were cancelled in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, and taxis and ride-share services were halted in affected areas.
The US State Department advised citizens in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero and Nuevo León to remain in safe locations and shelter in place. US government staff in several states were given similar instructions. Canada’s embassy in Mexico also warned its citizens in Puerto Vallarta to shelter in place and keep a low profile.
Violence extended beyond Jalisco, reaching Michoacán and Guanajuato, a sign of CJNG’s operational reach.
A cartel built on expansion and force
Under El Mencho’s leadership, CJNG grew rapidly, expanding its footprint across Mexico and into international drug markets. The cartel became a major player in fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking.
Security analysts have long noted that CJNG relied on coordinated displays of force to resist state pressure. Sunday’s arson attacks and roadblocks reflected tactics frequently used by Mexican cartels to disrupt military operations and signal continued strength.