Mexico was rocked by chaos on Sunday as members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) unleashed a wave of violence across 20 states following the death of their leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as El Mencho.
Captured by Mexican special forces after a fierce firefight in Jalisco, El Mencho long considered Mexico’s most wanted man died from injuries while being transported to Mexico City. Six of his bodyguards were killed in the operation, while three soldiers were wounded, according to the defence ministry.
News of his death triggered immediate retaliation. Cartel members torched businesses, banks, and pharmacies, blocked highways with burning vehicles, and scattered spikes across roads. In tourist hubs like Puerto Vallarta, plumes of black smoke rose over the city, forcing visitors to shelter in place. At Guadalajara’s airport, panic spread as travellers scrambled for safety amid reports of gunfire nearby.
Authorities reported more than 250 blockades across affected states, though most were later cleared. At least 25 suspects were arrested, while local governments declared emergency measures, halting public transport and ordering residents indoors.
The violence drew comparisons to the 2019 unrest in Sinaloa after the capture of Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Analysts say such retaliatory attacks have become a grim pattern following high-profile cartel arrests.
International concern quickly mounted. The US State Department urged its citizens in several Mexican states to shelter in place, while the UK Foreign Office advised extreme caution for visitors. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called for calm, praising security forces for the operation and stressing that “in most parts of the country, activities are proceeding normally.”
El Mencho’s capture was hailed by US officials as a major blow against fentanyl trafficking, with former DEA chief Mike Vigil describing it as “one of the most significant actions undertaken in the history of drug trafficking.”
