Mexican Cartel Violence Erupts After Army Kills 'El Mencho', Top Fentanyl Trafficker
Schools were canceled across multiple Mexican states and both local and foreign governments issued urgent warnings for citizens to remain indoors as widespread violence erupted following the Mexican army's successful operation against one of the country's most powerful criminal leaders. The military killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," the notorious boss of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during a shoot-out in his home state of Jalisco.
Nationwide Chaos and Retaliation
Cartel members responded to their leader's death with immediate and coordinated violence across the country, blocking more than 250 roads with burning vehicles across twenty different states. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm while authorities worked through Sunday night to clear the dangerous obstructions. The White House confirmed that United States intelligence support was crucial to the capture operation and applauded Mexico's military for taking down a man who was among the most wanted criminals in both nations.
El Mencho led one of the fastest-growing and most aggressive criminal networks in Mexico, notorious for trafficking massive quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into the United States. His organization was infamous for staging brazen attacks against government officials who challenged its operations, including using drones equipped with explosives and attempting to assassinate high-ranking security officials.
Cities Paralyzed by Fear
Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state and Mexico's second-largest city, was almost completely shut down on Sunday as terrified residents followed official advice to stay home. The city's international airport operated with severely limited personnel, with most incoming flights suspended. Passengers arriving Sunday night described a scene of palpable fear, with earlier travelers having sprinted and ducked for cover.
Jacinta Murcia, a 64-year-old nutrition products vendor, nervously walked through the nearly empty airport terminal late Sunday, anxiously scrolling through social media news about "El Mencho" while messaging her children who were tracking her location. "My plan today leaving the airport is to see if there are any taxis, but I'm scared of everything," she said. "That there are blockades, that there's a curfew, that something could happen. I'm all alone."
Authorities in Jalisco, Michoacan, and Guanajuato reported at least fourteen other people killed on Sunday, including seven National Guard troops. Videos circulating on social media showed tourists in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta walking on beaches with smoke rising ominously in the distance.
A Diplomatic and Security Inflection Point
Security analysts described the operation as a significant inflection point in President Sheinbaum's push to crack down on cartels while addressing intense pressure from the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded Mexico do more to combat fentanyl smuggling, threatening tariffs or unilateral military action without visible results.
David Mora, Mexico analyst for International Crisis Group, noted that while the operation might ease U.S. pressure temporarily, it could also trigger more violence as rival criminal groups attempt to capitalize on the CJNG's sudden leadership vacuum. "This might be a moment in which those other groups see that the cartel is weakened and want to seize the opportunity for them to expand control," Mora explained.
U.S. Ambassador Ron Johnson recognized the success and sacrifice of Mexican armed forces in a statement, adding that "under the leadership of President Trump and President Sheinbaum, bilateral cooperation has reached unprecedented levels." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed via social media that the U.S. provided intelligence support, calling El Mencho "a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland."
The Fall of a Notorious Kingpin
Oseguera Cervantes was wounded during the capture operation Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco, approximately two hours southwest of Guadalajara, and died while being transported by air to Mexico City, according to the Defense Department. During the confrontation, troops came under fire and killed four people at the location, with three others including Oseguera Cervantes wounded and later succumbing to their injuries.
The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to El Mencho's arrest. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which began operations around 2009, was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration in February 2025. President Sheinbaum has previously criticized the "kingpin strategy" of targeting cartel leaders, warning it often triggers violent power struggles, yet she has faced tremendous pressure to demonstrate results against drug trafficking since President Trump took office.
As Mexico hoped the death of one of the world's biggest fentanyl traffickers would relieve diplomatic pressure, many citizens remained hunkered down and on edge, waiting to see how the powerful cartel would ultimately respond to the loss of its leader. The incident highlights the persistent security challenges facing Mexico despite increased military confrontation with criminal groups under Sheinbaum's administration.
