Mexico City, February 23, 2026 — Members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) have launched a series of coordinated retaliatory attacks throughout Mexico in the wake of the death of their longtime leader, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, commonly known as “El Mencho,” during a high-profile military operation on Sunday.
Mexican authorities confirmed that Oseguera, 59 or 60 (reports vary slightly), the founder and head of one of the country’s most powerful and violent criminal organizations, was fatally wounded in a special forces raid in the town of Tapalpa, Jalisco state. The operation, supported by U.S. intelligence according to officials, aimed to capture the elusive drug lord, who had evaded authorities for years and carried a U.S. bounty of up to $15 million.
The Mexican Defense Ministry stated that Oseguera was injured in an intense firefight with cartel gunmen protecting him. He died en route to Mexico City while being transported for medical treatment. Several other CJNG members were killed or arrested during the clash, with authorities seizing weapons including rocket launchers and armored vehicles. Three Mexican military personnel were reported injured.
Within hours of the announcement, CJNG operatives responded with what security analysts describe as a classic “cuadrilla” retaliation strategy: setting up roadblocks using burning vehicles, torching businesses and cars, and engaging in sporadic gunfire. The violence has spread rapidly across at least a dozen states, including Jalisco (the cartel’s stronghold), Colima, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and others.
In Guadalajara, Jalisco’s capital and a 2026 FIFA World Cup host city, reports emerged of armed men setting fire to a gas station and exchanging gunfire. Puerto Vallarta, a major tourist destination, saw plumes of smoke from burning vehicles, airport disruptions with flight cancellations, and advisories for visitors to shelter in place. Tourists, including Americans, have been urged by the U.S. State Department and other foreign governments to avoid non-essential travel and remain indoors amid the chaos.
Schools have been closed in multiple affected states, highways remain blocked in numerous locations, and local media have circulated videos showing torched cars, vandalized stores, and panicked residents. Mexican security forces are actively working to clear blockades and restore order, with arrests reported in some areas.
The killing of “El Mencho” marks a significant blow to the CJNG, which has grown into Mexico’s dominant cartel under his leadership since its founding around 2009 as a splinter from the Milenio Cartel. Known for its extreme brutality, the group has been heavily involved in fentanyl production and trafficking, as well as methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin exports to the United States.
The Trump administration praised the operation as a “great development” in bilateral efforts against drug cartels, which the U.S. has designated CJNG a foreign terrorist organization. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration has faced pressure to demonstrate results in combating organized crime.
Experts warn that the power vacuum left by Oseguera’s death could lead to internal fracturing within the CJNG or escalated infighting with rival groups, potentially prolonging the wave of violence. Authorities have urged the public to avoid highways and report suspicious activity as operations continue.
This is a developing story, with reports of ongoing clashes and efforts by security forces to regain control in affected regions.