Who was “El Mencho”?
Prior to his capture and subsequent death on Sunday, February 22, 2026, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” was the co-founder and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In recent years, the CJNG has become Mexico’s most powerful criminal organization. Known for its extreme violence, attacks on the Mexican military, and extensive arsenal, the CJNG’s territory includes the Mexican states of Guadalajara, Colima, Michoacánthe and parts of Jalisco.
Notably, the CJNG is also reported to have a presence in all 50 US states, supplying narcotics including cocaine, Fentanyl, and methamphetamine to stateside domestic markets. With President Donald Trump ramping up pressure on Mexican leaders to dismantle major cartels, and given that Cervantes was one of the United States’ most wanted fugitives, it is unsurprising that U.S. law enforcement and Mexican Authorities were keen to capture Cervantes and deal a major blow to the CJNG.
How Was “El Mencho” Apprehended?
In a pre-dawn raid on February 22, Mexican security forces, aided closely by U.S. intelligence, tracked Cervantes to a property in Western Jalisco. Crucially, Cervantes’ location was obtained from one of his romantic connections. While a source close to the operation described American intelligence support as “instrumental”, the capture was executed on the ground by Mexican law enforcement officials. After locating Cervantes, an hour-long gun battle ensued between the Mexican Military and the CJNG. Cervantes later died en route to Mexico City after being captured by Mexican forces following the shootout. In total, six CJNG members were killed in the shootout, two were captured, and three military officials were injured.
Civil Unrest After the Leader’s Death
Shortly after Cervantes was killed, a wave of civil unrest, sparked by supporters of Cervantes, spread through 20 Mexican states. Vehicles and businesses were set on fire, armed men blocked major roads, and over 250 barricades were erected in a retaliation campaign by the cartel. Amid escalating violence, the U.S. Embassy and consulate in Mexico issued a shelter-in-place order for Americans in the affected states. The next day, the Mexican military deployed an additional 2,000 military troops to the western state of Jalisco.
In a Press conference later that day, Mexican President Claudia Shienbaum Pardo urged citizens to remain calm, stating, “the public can rest assured that peace, security, and normalcy are being safeguarded across the country.”
In an interview with Fox News, U.S. Press Secretary Caroline Levine stated,”…the Mexican drug cartels know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences.” By February 24, hundreds of Americans residing in Mexico had called a crisis line that was launched on February 22 to assist American citizens affected by the unrest. Despite the crisis dying down in the days following Cervantes’ death, the threat of unrest still looms for people on the ground.
What Happens Next?
One cause of concern for analysts is the lack of an apparent heir to “El Mencho.” As the Hill reported, this could “create power vacuums, ultimately leading to increased intra- and intercartel violence.” Mexican President Claudia Shienbaum Pardo is likely keen to avoid such a resurgence, given political pressure from within Mexico and President Trump’s mounting pressure on Mexico to go after cartels. Yet importantly, direct confrontation with the cartel remains unpopular with some within Shienbaum Pardos’ party.
Ultimately, whether more direct confrontations with the cartel will occur will depend on the balance that Shienbaum Pardo strikes between her supporters, Washington, and the reality on the ground in Mexico.