Mexico has deployed 2,500 soldiers to western regions following a devastating wave of cartel violence that killed at least 25 National Guard members. The unrest erupted after Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho’ and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), died in custody Sunday after being captured by special forces.
The security crisis has spread across at least 20 states since El Mencho’s death, with cartel members launching coordinated attacks including road blockades, vehicle burnings, and arson attacks on businesses. Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch confirmed casualties included a prison guard, a state prosecutor’s office member, and 30 cartel operatives.
El Mencho was captured following intelligence tracking of a romantic partner he was meeting in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The operation involved firefights that left six of his bodyguards dead and three military personnel injured. While being transported to Mexico City, the drug lord succumbed to injuries sustained during his capture.
President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the military operation while emphasizing her administration’s commitment to restoring order. ‘There is calm, there is government, there are armed forces and there is a lot of co-ordination,’ she stated, noting that most roadblocks had been cleared by Monday morning.
The violence prompted widespread shelter-in-place orders as deserted streets reflected public fear. The CJNG, considered Mexico’s most dangerous criminal organization, demonstrated its continued capacity for violence despite losing its leader.
International cooperation played a role in the operation, with US-provided intelligence contributing to El Mencho’s capture though no US forces participated directly. The US State Department had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.