Monday, February 23, 2026 l Dalena News Desk
MEXICO CITY & JALISCO, MEXICO — The death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, better known by his alias “El Mencho,” has sent shockwaves through Mexico and heightened security fears across the region, as retaliatory violence unfolds days after Mexican forces killed the notorious cartel boss.
El Mencho was the founder and longtime leader of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) — one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent organised crime syndicates, infamous for brazen attacks on security forces and control over major drug trafficking routes. Under his leadership, the CJNG became deeply embedded in Mexico’s criminal landscape, trafficking substances such as fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, and developing a reputation for militarised violence.
Born in 1966 in rural Michoacán, Oseguera Cervantes spent time in the United States in the 1980s, where he was repeatedly arrested on drug and guns charges before being deported back to Mexico. There, he rose through the ranks of outlaw networks and co-founded what would evolve into the CJNG, eventually consolidating influence across multiple Mexican states.
For years, Mexican and U.S. authorities sought to capture him. His cartel’s operations drew international attention, and the U.S. government had offered a reward for information leading to his arrest. The CJNG was designated alongside other major cartels as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States and Canada, underscoring its reach and the severity of its violence.
On February 22, 2026, Mexican federal forces conducted a security operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, with intelligence support from a U.S.-led task force, aiming to detain Oseguera Cervantes. A firefight broke out during the raid; El Mencho was wounded and subsequently died of his injuries while being transported for medical care. The clashes sparked shootouts and explosions throughout Jalisco and other regions, with CJNG members reportedly setting vehicles and roads ablaze in reprisal.
The aftermath has been marked by waves of unrest, with attacks and blockades reported in several Mexican states as affiliated groups responded to the security operation, demonstrating the cartel’s extensive influence and capacity to mobilise violent responses.
El Mencho’s death represents a significant development in Mexico’s prolonged battle against organised crime. Yet it also highlights the delicate balance between law enforcement actions and broader public safety, with security analysts warning that power vacuums left by the removal of cartel leaders can sometimes lead to intensified conflicts among rival factions rather than immediate peace.