Mexico witnessed a significant event with the demise of Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” a prominent drug lord, during a military operation that led to escalating violence in the region. President Claudia Sheinbaum faced mounting pressure to ramp up the fight against drug cartels, particularly those involved in the trafficking of drugs like fentanyl into the US. The Security Minister, Omar Garcia Harfuch, reported that 27 National Guard members lost their lives in attacks in Jalisco state.
Oseguera, aged 60, the brains behind the influential Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), succumbed to injuries sustained during a military maneuver by Mexican special forces in Tapalpa, Jalisco state, on Mexico’s Pacific coast. His remains were transported to Mexico City under tight security by National Guard troops. The operation, reportedly assisted by a newly formed US-military-led task force, received intelligence support from the United States, as confirmed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Acknowledging the successful collaboration, Leavitt praised the Mexican military for their effective execution of the operation. Following the news of El Mencho’s demise, cartel affiliates resorted to violent actions by blockading highways, setting cars ablaze, and damaging businesses across multiple states. In the tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, visitors described a chaotic scene on social media as smoke billowed from the bay area, prompting airlines like Air Canada, United Airlines, Aeromexico, and American Airlines to halt flights in the vicinity.