Mexican military forces killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, commonly known as “El Mencho,” during an operation in the municipality of Tapalpa, Jalisco state on Sunday. The raid — which was carried out in conjunction with U.S. forces — marks the death of the world’s most wanted drug lord.
The action, led by the Mexican army with support from intelligence units and possibly the National Guard, targeted the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). According to official statements from the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), Oseguera Cervantes was wounded in a confrontation with government forces and died during aerial transport to Mexico City for medical treatment.
The operation involved specialized forces and aircraft, resulting in the deaths of several other cartel associates at the scene or en route. Authorities described it as a planned effort based on military intelligence and coordination with federal prosecutors, though specific details about the intelligence sources or exact circumstances of the engagement remain limited in public releases.
At least three Mexican troops were killed in the raid as well.
The killing immediately triggered widespread unrest across multiple states under CJNG influence. Cartel members responded with roadblocks using burning vehicles other disruptive actions, including fires set to buses, buildings, and private property. These incidents affected Jalisco (including areas near Guadalajara’s international airport and the tourist zone of Puerto Vallarta), Michoacán, Colima, Guanajuato, and reports extended to states such as Guerrero, Aguascalientes, Nayarit, Zacatecas, and Tamaulipas.
Local authorities in Jalisco activated emergency protocols, including a “Code Red” alert, suspended public transportation in some zones, and urged residents to stay home. The U.S. Embassy issued shelter-in-place advisories for American citizens in affected regions due to the risk of further violence, and some airlines paused flights.
Such retaliatory measures are a documented pattern in Mexican cartel responses to major leadership losses, intended to hinder security force movements and signal continued operational capacity, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Mencho was one of the most-wanted fugitives in the U.S. and Mexico at the time of his death
Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, born July 17, 1966, in Aguililla, Michoacán, was 59 at the time of his death. He had a prior career as a police officer before entering organized crime in the 1990s, initially with the Milenio Cartel.
He co-founded the CJNG around 2010 after internal divisions in predecessor groups, building it into one of Mexico’s dominant criminal organizations. The CJNG maintains a strong presence in Jalisco and has expanded nationwide and internationally, focusing on methamphetamine and fentanyl production and trafficking, alongside extortion, fuel theft (huachicoleo), and money laundering.
U.S. authorities indicted him multiple times for drug conspiracy and offered a reward of up to $15 million for his capture, citing the cartel’s role in supplying large volumes of fentanyl to the United States.
The CJNG has a well-documented reputation for extreme violence, often employing aggressive tactics in territorial disputes with rivals like Sinaloa Cartel factions. Incidents attributed to the group include ambushes on security personnel, use of improvised explosive devices, armored vehicles, and public displays of force that have driven high homicide rates in states such as Jalisco, Michoacán, and Guanajuato. Law enforcement assessments describe the cartel as highly structured and adaptable, contributing significantly to ongoing security challenges in Mexico.
Oseguera Cervantes’ death marks one of the most significant blows to Mexican organized crime in recent years.
