Widespread violence broke out across Mexico after security forces killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, better known as “El Mencho,” the powerful head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Schools were closed in several states, while Mexican authorities and foreign governments urged residents and visitors to remain indoors as cartel members retaliated with roadblocks, arson and attacks.
Oseguera Cervantes was killed during a military operation in his home state of Jalisco, where troops attempted to capture him. According to Mexico’s Defense Department, he was wounded in a shootout in Tapalpa and later died while being flown to Mexico City.
The CJNG leader had overseen one of Mexico’s fastest-growing criminal networks, notorious for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States, and for launching brazen attacks against officials.
In the aftermath of his death, cartel members set up more than 250 roadblocks across 20 states and torched vehicles. By late Sunday, authorities said most of the blockades had been dismantled.
President Claudia Sheinbaum called for calm, while the White House confirmed the United States had provided intelligence support for the operation. The U.S. government had previously offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Oseguera’s arrest and had designated the CJNG a foreign terrorist organisation in early 2025 under President Donald Trump.
Cities on Edge
Guadalajara, Jalisco’s capital and Mexico’s second-largest city, was largely shut down as residents stayed indoors. Flights at the city’s international airport were suspended or delayed, and travelers described scenes of panic earlier in the day.
Jacinta Murcia, a 64-year-old vendor, said she feared encountering blockades as she tried to make her way home from the airport. “I’m scared of everything that there are roadblocks, that there’s a curfew, that something could happen,” she said.
Authorities in Jalisco, Michoacán and Guanajuato reported at least 14 additional deaths on Sunday, including seven National Guard members.
Videos shared online showed smoke rising near tourist areas such as Puerto Vallarta, underscoring the nationwide reach of the unrest.
A Blow to the Cartel — and a Risk of More Violence
Analysts say the killing of El Mencho marks a major escalation in Sheinbaum’s crackdown on organised crime, amid mounting U.S. pressure to curb fentanyl trafficking.
David Mora of the International Crisis Group said the operation signals intensified cooperation between Mexico and the United States. However, he warned it could also spark further instability as rival groups attempt to exploit the CJNG’s weakened leadership.
The CJNG has long been regarded as one of Mexico’s most aggressive cartels, pioneering the use of drones to drop explosives and carrying out high-profile attacks, including a 2020 assassination attempt against Mexico City’s then police chief.
Although Sheinbaum has criticised past “kingpin” strategies for triggering waves of violence after cartel leaders are removed, her administration faces continued pressure to deliver security gains. Many Mexicans now brace for possible reprisals as the country waits to see how the powerful cartel responds to the loss of its leader.
