Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho” and Mexico‘s most-wanted drug lord, has been killed by Mexican security forces. The operation took place on Sunday, with the US providing key intelligence support.
El Mencho was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as CJNG, which the US has designated as a terrorist organization. He had been a fugitive since 2017 and faced multiple serious charges from the US Department of State, including running a criminal enterprise, conspiring to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl for import into the US, and using a firearm during drug trafficking crimes.
The US had been actively pushing to bring down El Mencho, with a $15 million reward on offer for information leading to his arrest. According to Axios, the Mexican Defense Ministry confirmed that US authorities provided information that was helpful to the operation, through their bilateral coordination framework. A US defense official also mentioned a joint US-Mexico task force that regularly works with the Mexican military.
Violence broke out across Jalisco after the killing, disrupting travel and daily life
El Mencho and three other CJNG members were killed during the security operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. Following the news, violence erupted in multiple locations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo urged people to stay calm on social media, saying most activities in the country were continuing as normal.
The US Embassy, however, told Americans to “shelter in place” in several states. This development comes as President Trump has been pushing hard on foreign policy and trade pressure to advance US interests abroad.
Vehicles were set on fire in the area, with thick black smoke rising above beachfront hotels in Puerto Vallarta, a popular Pacific coastal resort town. In Guadalajara, Jalisco’s capital and a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there were reports of gunfire, and suspected CJNG members reportedly set a gas station on fire.
Roadblocks caused serious disruptions to airline operations, leading to flight cancellations in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. All taxis and ride shares in Puerto Vallarta were suspended, and some businesses were forced to close.
The operation is being viewed as a significant win for US-Mexico cooperation at a time when lawmakers debating Trump’s economic agenda have been closely watching his foreign policy moves. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau described El Mencho as “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins” in a post on X.
He called the killing a “great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world.” Landau also said that “the good guys are stronger than the bad guys,” while noting it was “not surprising that the bad guys are responding with terror.”
Published: Feb 23, 2026 10:28 am