One of Mexico’s most feared drug lords, Nemesio Oseguera, widely known as El Mencho, has been killed in a high-stakes military raid, triggering a wave of retaliatory violence across the country.
Mexico’s defence ministry confirmed that the 60-year-old kingpin died in custody after being wounded during a special forces operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco state, on Sunday. His body was flown to Mexico City under heavy National Guard escort.
Oseguera led the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most ruthless criminal groups blamed for trafficking fentanyl and other drugs into the United States.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has faced mounting pressure from Washington to intensify the fight against cartels accused of fuelling America’s opioid crisis.
A new US military-led task force reportedly played a role in the raid. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the United States provided intelligence support and praised Mexican forces for the “successful execution” of the operation.
The administration of Donald Trump welcomed the development, describing it as a major blow to organised crime.
News of El Mencho’s death unleashed chaos. Cartel gunmen torched vehicles, blockaded highways and set businesses on fire in at least six states.
In the tourist hotspot of Puerto Vallarta, visitors described scenes resembling a “war zone” as thick smoke billowed over the coastline. Airlines including Air Canada, United Airlines, Aeromexico, and American Airlines suspended flights.
No civilian deaths have been confirmed, but schools in several states cancelled classes as a precaution.
From police officer to drug cartel boss
A former police officer, Oseguera founded CJNG in Jalisco and oversaw its rapid expansion into one of Mexico’s most violent criminal enterprises.
Under his leadership, the cartel diversified beyond drug trafficking into fuel theft, extortion, human smuggling and financial fraud. CJNG was also notorious for deploying drones in armed attacks in rural areas.
Security analysts warn his death could splinter the cartel, potentially triggering a prolonged power struggle.
Carlos Olivo, a former US Drug Enforcement Administration official, predicted “spasms of violence” that could last for years as factions compete for control.
Sheinbaum has pledged closer cooperation with the US while defending Mexico’s sovereignty amid warnings against unilateral American military action.
Sunday’s raid marks one of the most significant blows yet against drug cartels accused of smuggling billions of dollars’ worth of narcotics, including fentanyl, into the US.
Whether El Mencho’s killing weakens CJNG or plunges Mexico into further instability now hangs in the balance.
