Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was captured and died on February 22, 2026, after Mexican authorities tracked his romantic partner to a secret meeting spot. He was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and had a $15 million U.S. bounty on his head. El Mencho had risen to power after the arrest of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The operation began on February 20, when military intelligence tracked a trusted courier connected to one of Oseguera Cervantes’s romantic partners. The courier transported the partner to a cabin in Tapalpa, Jalisco, for an overnight meeting with El Mencho. Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo stated, “On February 20, through central military intelligence work, a man of trust of one of El Mencho’s romantic partners was located, who took her to a facility in the town of Tapalpa, Jalisco.”
The following day, the romantic partner left the property, but intelligence confirmed that Oseguera Cervantes stayed behind with only a small security detail. Army Special Forces and the National Guard’s Immediate Reaction Force moved in. Aerial surveillance had already spotted El Mencho’s inner circle openly carrying illegal high-caliber weapons, including rocket launchers and long guns.
Tracking El Mencho’s romantic partner ultimately led to his downfall in a two-stage confrontation
During the initial raid on the property, Oseguera Cervantes’s security detail opened fire “very violently” on military personnel, triggering a full response from Special Forces. Eight criminals were killed in this first phase, and two military personnel were injured.
Amid the chaos, Oseguera Cervantes and his close circle fled into a nearby wooded area. Soldiers quickly located the group “hidden among the brush,” and the cartel suspects opened fire again. It was during this second shootout that El Mencho and two of his escorts were wounded, according to Trevilla Trejo.
Military medics determined that Oseguera Cervantes and his two escorts were in critical condition and needed immediate helicopter evacuation. Despite the efforts, all three died during transport from their wounds. The operation was carried out with close cooperation between Mexican and U.S. forces, and you can read more about how the US-assisted operation unfolded and its aftermath.
Following the news of El Mencho’s death, significant unrest broke out in areas like Puerto Vallarta, where tourists described vehicle fires, military helicopters overhead, and armed forces in the streets. The operation marked the end of one of Mexico’s most wanted and long-pursued cartel leaders.
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Published: Feb 24, 2026 04:25 pm