Mexican armed forces killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, in an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, last Sunday. This strike marks the most significant blow against a Mexican cartel in history. The action comes amid U.S. pressures and raises concerns over potential violent responses from the criminal group.
On Sunday, in Tapalpa, Jalisco, an operation by the Mexican Armed Forces resulted in the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, the undisputed leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Mexico's most powerful criminal organization. This event, described as the most significant blow against a cartel in the country's history, was carried out under President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration.
The operation occurred amid mounting pressures from the United States. In early February, the U.S. Department of Justice circulated a memorandum to push for the total elimination of cartels. Additionally, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the State Department rejected Mexico's incremental strategy against organized crime. The proximity of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held partly in Mexico, may have influenced the decision to act.
Immediately afterward, CJNG supporters responded with dozens of blockades in Jalisco and other states, demonstrating their show of force. U.S. authorities have reported actions against companies in Riviera Nayarit for alleged ties to the Oseguera group, in defense of defrauded U.S. citizens. In Mexico, the detention of Tequila's former mayor, Diego Rivera, accused of collaborating with the cartel, was noted. Among those pointed out in Jalisco is the son of a former governor.
Experts highlight risks of internal succession disputes within the CJNG and escalation of violence in states such as Veracruz, Colima, Guanajuato, and Michoacán, where the group is already in conflict with rivals like Cárteles Unidos. Key figures like Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, alias El Doble R, and Juan Carlos Valencia González, alias El 03, remain at large, according to available information. The federal government is focused on containing the situation, particularly in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, amid potential attacks by antagonistic groups.
The operation's success does not ensure the CJNG's extinction, as seen in prior cases like Sinaloa, where the absence of leaders has extended internal wars. Building peace will require dismantling networks of complicity with politicians and businesspeople.
