Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, leader of Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed during a raid in Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Sunday. The operation, supported by U.S. intelligence, resulted in the deaths of at least 25 Mexican servicemen amid heavy cartel gunfire. Retaliatory violence followed, including arson and roadblocks across several states.
The death of El Mencho marks a significant blow to one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels. According to the Mexican government, security forces received a lead on his location in Tapalpa, an area in Jalisco state. The raid involved the army and national guard, with substantial intelligence support from the United States, including CIA assistance that reportedly tracked him through a girlfriend. Although the plan was to capture him alive, cartel members responded with intense gunfire, wounding El Mencho, who died en route to a hospital. At least 25 servicemen were killed in the clash.
El Mencho, whose formal name is Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, had led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel for nearly two decades, making him a figure more enduring than even Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Born in Michoacán, he grew up in poverty and worked in the avocado trade before emigrating to the United States, where he committed crimes leading to his deportation. He briefly served as a police officer in Jalisco, a role that reportedly helped him learn to corrupt officials.
Journalist León Krauze, who has tracked El Mencho's rise, described the cartel's operations: "All of these people that join this business... know that they are in it for a likely exhilarating, if that sort of thing excites you, but very short ride." The cartel, which specializes in methamphetamine and fentanyl production, has also expanded into extortion, human trafficking, and threats against avocado growers in Michoacán.
Under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's "hugs, not bullets" policy, Krauze noted, the cartel flourished, growing stronger than rivals. Current President Claudia Sheinbaum has adopted a tougher stance, as seen in actions against the Sinaloa Cartel. Recent U.S.-Mexico meetings, about four to five weeks prior, signaled American demands for more aggressive measures.
Post-raid, the cartel retaliated with arson on businesses, roadblocks, and chaos in various cities, highlighting their military-like armament fueled by illicit U.S. gun trade. Krauze emphasized deepened bilateral collaboration: "American eyes in the sky and Mexican boots on the ground." However, he cautioned that deeper issues persist, including suspected ties between politicians and organized crime, and recent judicial reforms that replaced the Supreme Court with executive-influenced judges.
Krauze expressed measured optimism: "We are in a better place than we were two years ago... But... it’s going to take a long time for this to change."
