Mexican army kills leader of powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel
during operation to capture him
[February 23, 2026]
By FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican army killed the leader of the Jalisco New
Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho," on
Sunday, decapitating what had become Mexico's most powerful drug cartel
and thrusting swaths of the nation into chaos.
The drug lord was the Mexican government's biggest prize yet to show the
Trump administration in its efforts to crack down on the cartels, and
his death was met with a forceful reaction from the cartel, known by its
Spanish initials CJNG.
Cars burned out by cartel members blocked roads at more than 250 points
in 20 Mexican states, authorities said, and left smoke billowing into
the air. Jalisco's capital, Guadalajara, was turned into a ghost town
Sunday night as civilians hunkered down. School was canceled Monday in
several states. Authorities in Jalisco, Michoacan and Guanajuato
reported at least 14 dead, including seven National Guard troops.
Oseguera Cervantes was wounded in an operation to capture him Sunday in
Tapalpa, Jalisco, about a two-hour drive southwest of Guadalajara and he
died while being flown to Mexico City, the Defense Department said in a
statement. The state is the base of the cartel known for trafficking
huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs to the United States.
Cartel a major fentanyl trafficker
During the operation, troops came under fire and killed four people at
the location. Three more people, including Oseguera Cervantes, were
wounded and later died, the statement said. Two others were arrested and
armored vehicles, rocket launchers and other arms were seized. Three
members of the armed forces were wounded and receiving medical
treatment.
A Jalisco state official who requested anonymity because they were not
authorized to speak publicly said a member of the National Guard died in
Tapalpa during the operation, six other National Guard members died in
Zapopan beside Guadalajara, a jail guard was killed at a lockup in
Puerto Vallarta when prisoners rioted, and an agent from the Jalisco
state prosecutor’s office was killed in Guadalajara. Details were not
immediately available.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said via X that the U.S.
government provided intelligence support for the operation. “‘El Mencho’
was a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of
the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland,” she wrote. She
commended Mexico's military for its work.
“Ever since President (Claudia) Sheinbaum has been in power, the army
has been way more confrontational, combative against criminal groups in
Mexico,” said David Mora, analyst for International Crisis Group in
Mexico. “This is signaling to the U.S. that if we keep cooperating,
sharing intelligence, Mexico can do it, we don’t need U.S. troops on
Mexican soil."
Roadblocks and burning vehicles
The killing of the drug lord set off several hours of roadblocks with
burning vehicles, tactics commonly used by the cartels to block military
operations. Videos circulating on social media showed smoke billowing
over the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, and people
sprinting through the airport of the state's capital in panic.
Air Canada announced it was suspending flights to Puerto Vallarta “due
to an ongoing security situation” and advised customers not to go to
their airport. A number of Mexican and international airlines also
canceled flights.
In Guadalajara, burning vehicles blocked roads and businesses shuttered
just months before Mexico's second-largest city is scheduled to host
matches during this summer's soccer World Cup.
The U.S. State Department warned U.S. citizens in Jalisco, Tamaulipas,
Michoacan, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon states to remain in safe places due
to the security operations. Canada's embassy in Mexico warned its
citizens in Puerto Vallarta to shelter in place and generally to keep a
low profile in Jalisco.
Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus told residents to stay at home, suspended
public transportation and said that the state was “living through
critical hours.”
US had offered up to $15 million for his capture
The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for
information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New
Generation Cartel is one of the most powerful and fastest growing
criminal organizations in Mexico and began operating around 2009.
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National Guards remove pedestrians by the General Prosecutor's
headquarters in Mexico City, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, after the death
of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén
Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho." (AP Photo/Ginette Riquelme)
In February 2025, the Trump administration designated the cartel as
a foreign terrorist organization.
Sheinbaum has criticized the “kingpin” strategy of previous
administrations that took out cartel leaders only to trigger
explosions of violence as cartels fractured. While she has remained
popular in Mexico, security is a persistent concern and since U.S.
President Donald Trump took office a year ago, she has been under
tremendous pressure to show results against drug trafficking.
On Sunday, Sheinbaum applauded Mexican security forces and called
for calm in a post on X.
Known as an aggressive cartel
The Jalisco cartel has been one of the most aggressive cartels in
its attacks on the military — including on helicopters — and is a
pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. In
2020, it carried out a spectacular assassination attempt with
grenades and high-powered rifles in the heart of Mexico City against
the then head of the capital’s police force and now federal security
secretary.
The DEA considers the cartel to be as powerful as the Sinaloa
cartel, one of Mexico's most infamous criminal groups, with a
presence in all 50 U.S. states. It is one of the main suppliers of
cocaine to the U.S. market and, like the Sinaloa cartel, earns
billions from the production of fentanyl and methamphetamines.
Sinaloa, however, has been weakened by infighting after the loss of
its leaders Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán,
both in U.S. custody.
Oseguera Cervantes, 59, was originally from Aguililla in the
neighboring state of Michoacan. He had been significantly involved
in drug trafficking activities since the 1990s. When he was younger,
he migrated to the U.S. where he was convicted of conspiracy to
distribute heroin in the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of California in 1994 and served nearly three years in
prison.
Following his release from custody, Oseguera Cervantes returned to
Mexico and reengaged in drug trafficking activity with drug lord
Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, alias “Nacho Coronel.” After
Villarreal's death, Oseguera Cervantes and Erik Valencia Salazar,
alias “El 85,” created the Jalisco New Generation Cartel around
2007.
Initially, they worked for the Sinaloa Cartel, but eventually split
and for years the two cartels have battled for territory across
Mexico.
Indicted several times in the United States
Since 2017, Oseguera Cervantes has been indicted several times in
the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
The most recent superseding indictment, filed on April 5, 2022,
charges Oseguera Cervantes with conspiracy and distribution of
controlled substances (methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl) for
the purpose of illegal importation into the United States and use of
firearms during and in connection with drug trafficking offenses.
Oseguera Cervantes is also charged under the Drug Kingpin
Enforcement Act for directing a continuing criminal enterprise.
Last year, people searching for missing relatives founds piles of
shoes and other clothing, as well as bone fragments at what
authorities later said was a Jalisco cartel recruitment and training
site.
___
Associated Press writers María Verza and Megan Janetsky contributed
to this report.
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