Following a military raid on Sunday, Nemesio Oseguera, also known as “El Mencho,” a prominent drug lord in Mexico, was killed, leading to a surge in retaliatory violence.
President Claudia Sheinbaum faced escalating pressure from the U.S. to escalate her crackdown on drug cartels responsible for the production and trafficking of drugs, especially the synthetic opioid fentanyl, into the United States. Mexico’s Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch confirmed that 27 National Guard members lost their lives in attacks in Jalisco state.
Oseguera, aged 60, the brains behind the influential Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), passed away while in custody after sustaining injuries during a military operation conducted by Mexican special forces in Tapalpa, located on Mexico’s Pacific coast in Jalisco state, as stated by Mexico’s defense ministry.
His body was transported to Mexico City on Sunday under tight security with a convoy of National Guard troops. Reports indicated that a new U.S.-military-led task force played a role in the operation that was spearheaded and carried out by Mexican forces. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt subsequently shared on social media that the United States provided intelligence assistance.
Leavitt praised the Mexican military for their collaboration and successful execution of the operation, on behalf of the Trump administration.
Upon the news of El Mencho’s demise, cartel members barricaded highways with burning vehicles and set fire to businesses in over half a dozen states. In Puerto Vallarta, a popular beach resort in Jalisco, distressed tourists on social media described the scene as a “war zone,” with dark smoke billowing from various locations around the bay. Airlines like Air Canada, United Airlines, Aeromexico, and American Airlines halted flights in the region.
