The Mexican army announced on Sunday that it had killed notorious drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho,” in a military operation that set off a surge of violence across several regions of the country.
According to an official statement, Oseguera, 59, who led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was injured during a confrontation with troops in the town of Tapalpa in Jalisco state.
He later died while being transported by air to Mexico City. The United States had placed a $15 million bounty on him.
In the aftermath of the raid, armed men believed to be affiliated with the cartel mounted retaliatory attacks, blocking more than 20 roads in western Jalisco by setting vehicles, including cars and trucks, ablaze.
As unrest spread, at least eight states suspended physical classes, while judicial authorities permitted courts to close where security concerns warranted such action.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called on citizens to stay calm amid the upheaval.
Oseguera’s death marks one of the most significant blows to organized crime in Mexico since the arrests of Joaquin Guzman, known as “El Chapo,” and Ismael Zambada Garcia, both founders of the Sinaloa cartel, who are currently serving prison sentences in the United States.
The army said the mission was supported not only by Mexican military intelligence but also by “complementary information” supplied by US authorities. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Washington had provided intelligence backing.
In addition to Oseguera, six suspected cartel gunmen were killed during the operation, while three Mexican soldiers sustained injuries. Authorities also arrested two suspected cartel members and confiscated an array of weapons, including rocket launchers capable of downing aircraft and penetrating armored vehicles.
As retaliatory violence intensified, Jalisco state, which is due to host four World Cup matches this summer, cancelled all large-scale public events. In Guadalajara, the state capital, streets were largely deserted as shops, pharmacies, and fuel stations shut their doors.
Maria Medina, an employee at a gas station that was torched, recounted how armed men arrived and ordered everyone to leave. “I thought they were going to kidnap us. I ran to a taco stand to take cover with the people there,” she told AFP.
The unrest spread into neighboring Michoacan state, another area where the cartel maintains a foothold, as well as the tourist hub of Puerto Vallarta.
Formed in 2009, the Jalisco cartel grew into one of Mexico’s most violent trafficking networks, according to the US Justice Department.
In response to the turmoil, Guatemala announced it was reinforcing “strategic” areas along its border with Mexico, which has experienced cross-border criminal incursions in recent months.
The United States has designated the Jalisco cartel as a terrorist organization and accuses it of trafficking cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into US territory.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau praised the operation, describing Oseguera as “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins.”
“This is a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world,” he added.
The military action comes amid mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump on Mexico to curb the flow of narcotics, particularly fentanyl, into the United States. Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican exports, arguing that Sheinbaum’s administration has not taken sufficient steps to combat drug trafficking.
Following the outbreak of violence, the US State Department urged American citizens in wide areas of Mexico to “shelter in place until further notice.” Canada also issued a travel advisory for parts of Jalisco, Guerrero and Michoacan states, citing “shootouts with security forces and explosions.”
Several US and Canadian airlines cancelled dozens of flights to Mexico in response to the unrest, with Air Canada indicating that suspensions of flights to Puerto Vallarta would extend at least through Monday.
What You Should Know
Mexico’s army says it killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera during a military operation in Jalisco state.
The raid sparked widespread retaliatory violence, prompting school closures, court shutdowns, travel advisories, and flight cancellations.
US authorities provided intelligence support for the operation, which marks one of the most significant blows to Mexican organized crime in years.
