Who is El Mencho and what’s happening in Mexico?

On Sunday (February 22, 2026), the Mexican service killed the nation’s astir notorious cartel leader, who was besides among the astir wanted fugitives successful the United States. In retaliation, cartel members unleashed a surge of unit passim the country.

The sidesplitting of Jalisco New Generation Cartel person Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes during an effort to seizure him successful Jalisco authorities was the highest-profile stroke against cartels since the recapture of erstwhile Sinaloa cartel brag Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán a decennary ago.

Here’s what to cognize astir the erstwhile almighty cause cartel leader.

Who is El Mencho?

Oseguera Cervantes, amended known arsenic “El Mencho,” was 59-years aged and primitively from the Western State of Michoacan. His ties to organised transgression went backmost astatine slightest 3 decades.

In 1994, helium was tried for trafficking heroin successful the U.S. and sent to situation for 3 years. Upon returning to Mexico, helium rapidly roseate done Mexico’s cause trafficking underworld.

In 2009, helium established the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which rapidly emerged arsenic Mexico’s astir rapidly expanding transgression organisation. The cartel engaged successful trafficking cocaine, methamphetamines, fentanyl, and migrants into the United States portion besides adopting innovative convulsive tactics, specified arsenic employing drones and improvised explosive devices.

It gained notoriety for its audacious assaults connected Mexican information forces, including the downing of a subject chopper successful Jalisco successful 2015 and an ambitious, though unsuccessful, assassination effort connected Mexico City Police Chief Omar García Harfuch, who presently serves arsenic Mexico’s national information secretary.

It recruited aggressively, experimenting with caller ways to scope imaginable members online.

What is happening successful Mexico?

Following Oseguera Cervantes’ death, gunmen unleashed unit crossed the country. Cars burned retired by cartel members blocked roads successful astir a twelve Mexican states and near fume billowing into the air. People locked themselves successful their homes successful Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest metropolis and Jalisco’s capital, and schoolhouse was cancelled Monday successful respective states arsenic information forces were placed connected alert each implicit the country. Moreover, Guatemala reinforced information connected its borderline with Mexico.

The sidesplitting could springiness the authorities a limb up successful its dealings with the U.S. Trump administration, which has been threatening tariffs oregon unilateral subject enactment if Mexico does not amusement results successful the combat against the cartels.

But the semipermanent effect connected Mexico’s information scenery remains unclear.

The U.S. combat against cartels

The quality collaboration betwixt the U.S. and Mexico connected Sunday’s (February 22) cognition helped pb to the sidesplitting of the infamous Mexican cause cartel leader.

Oseguera Cervantes was facing aggregate indictments successful the United States and the U.S. State Department had offered a $15 cardinal reward for accusation starring to his arrest. The Trump medication designated his cartel and others overseas violent organizations a twelvemonth ago.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who was U.S. ambassador to Mexico during the archetypal Trump administration, applauded the cognition via X, writing, “The bully guys are stronger than the atrocious guys. Congratulations to the forces of instrumentality and bid successful the large Mexican nation.”

Mike Vigil, erstwhile main of planetary operations for the DEA, said Mexico had sent a beardown connection to Donald Trump’s medication that they are warring aggressively and effectively” against the astir almighty cartels. He added that “the bulk of the accusation came from the Mexican equipped forces and each recognition goes to Mexico.”

Jalisco New Generation Cartel

The Jalisco cartel has a beingness successful astatine slightest 21 of Mexico’s 32 states and is progressive successful astir each of the United States, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It is besides a planetary organisation, and the nonaccomplishment of its person could beryllium felt good beyond Mexico.

“El Mencho controlled everything, helium was similar a country’s dictator,” Mr. Vigil said.

His lack could dilatory the cartel’s accelerated maturation and enlargement and permission it initially weakened against the Sinaloa cartel connected respective fronts wherever they oregon their proxies are fighting. The Sinaloa is locked successful its ain interior powerfulness struggle, however, betwixt the sons of “El Chapo” and the faction loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who is successful U.S. custody.

Security expert David Saucedo said that if relatives of Oseguera Cervantes instrumentality power of the cartel, the unit seen Sunday could continue. If others instrumentality power, they could beryllium much consenting to crook the leafage and proceed operations.

The top fearfulness would beryllium that the cartel turns to indiscriminate violence. They could determine to “launch narcoterrorism attacks ... and make a script akin to what Colombia lived successful the 1990s,” a full-on onslaught against the authorities “car bombs, assassinations and attacks connected aircraft,” helium added.

(With AP inputs)