A meticulously coordinated intelligence operation, spearheaded by information from the romantic partner of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, culminated in the fatal confrontation with Mexico’s most notorious drug lord. The notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), widely known by his alias ‘El Mencho’, was located in a secluded vacation property in the picturesque village of Tapalpa, Jalisco.
Mexican Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla disclosed that military intelligence, bolstered by support from the U.S. Northern Command, identified a planned rendezvous between Oseguera and his girlfriend. Surveillance confirmed her arrival at a Tapalpa residence on Saturday, facilitated by a trusted cartel associate, after which she departed, leaving Oseguera secured with his detail.
Executing a clandestine multi-pronged assault on Sunday, the National Guard’s Special Immediate Reaction Force encircled the location. Trevilla described the ensuing firefight as ‘extremely violent,’ noting Oseguera was armed with an arsenal that included assault rifles and two rocket launchers—weaponry previously used by his guards to down a military helicopter in a 2015 escape.
Cornered in a forested area near a cabin complex, Oseguera and two of his escorts sustained critical injuries in the exchange of gunfire. Despite being airlifted for medical attention, all three succumbed to their wounds en route to a hospital in Guadalajara. Their remains were subsequently transferred to Mexico City’s General Prosecutor’s Office.
The power vacuum triggered immediate and widespread retaliation across 20 Mexican states. Hugo H., alias ‘El Tuli’ and Oseguera’s chief lieutenant, orchestrated hundreds of roadblocks and vehicle torchings, offering a bounty of 20,000 pesos for each soldier killed. ‘El Tuli’ was himself killed on Sunday while attempting to flee authorities in El Grullo, Jalisco; he was found in possession of weapons and approximately $1.4 million in cash.
In response to the nationwide surge in violence, the Mexican government deployed nearly 10,000 soldiers as a stabilizing dissuasive force. While calm largely returned by Monday, isolated blockades persisted in Jalisco and the neighboring state of Michoacán. Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch confirmed that Oseguera’s remains will be released to his family, though his final resting place remains undisclosed.