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By: Manoah Kikekon
MEXICO CITY — Mexico has been thrust into a state of emergency following the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the infamous leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Known globally as “El Mencho,” the kingpin was killed during a high-stakes military operation in his home state of Jalisco on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
The aftermath has seen a wave of retaliatory violence, with cartel gunmen paralyzing major cities and forcing the closure of schools and businesses across the country.
The military strike, centered in the town of Tapalpa, triggered an immediate and brutal response. CJNG operatives deployed "narco-blockades," hijacking and torching more than 250 vehicles to seal off highways across at least 20 states.
In Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city and a 2026 World Cup host, the streets turned into a "ghost town" as residents hunkered down under a "Code Red" security alert. Smoke billowed over the tourist hub of Puerto Vallarta, where panicked travelers were seen sprinting through the airport as gunmen clashed with security forces nearby.
By Monday morning, the impact on daily life was total. Educational authorities in Jalisco, Michoacán, Guanajuato, and several other states officially canceled classes, citing the high risk of crossfire and ongoing criminal activity.
Foreign governments, including the United States and Canada, issued urgent "shelter-in-place" advisories for their citizens, while major airlines suspended flights to the region due to the security vacuum at local airports.
El Mencho was the architect of one of the world's most militarized criminal organizations. Under his command, the CJNG became a dominant force in the trafficking of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine to the United States.
The cartel was notorious for its paramilitary tactics, including the use of weaponized drones, improvised mines, and rocket launchers one of which was used to down a Mexican military helicopter in 2015.
The $15 Million Bounty: The U.S. Department of State had long placed a $15 million reward on Oseguera’s head, and in early 2025, the U.S. government designated the CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
The operation is being viewed as a significant political victory for President Claudia Sheinbaum. Since taking office, Sheinbaum has faced intense pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to deliver "results" or face potential tariffs and unilateral military intervention. While she has historically criticized the "kingpin strategy" fearing the violent fracturing of cartels that follows this operation, supported by U.S. intelligence, signals a more aggressive stance against top-tier criminal leadership.
While the "Lord of the Roosters" is gone, security analysts warn that the victory may be short-lived. The decapitation of the CJNG often leads to bloody internal power struggles or opportunistic invasions by rival groups like the Sinaloa Cartel. Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch who survived a 2020 assassination attempt by the CJNG—is now leading the national effort to stabilize the country and prevent a full-scale civil war between fractured cartel cells.