mexico city — The Mexican military killed the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” in an operation Sunday, a federal official said.
The official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said this happened during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco.
This came after several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states. These tactics are commonly used by cartels to prevent military operations.
Videos circulating on social media showed plumes of smoke rising over Puerto Vallarta, a major city in Jalisco, and speeding through the state capital’s airport in panic. On Sunday afternoon, Air Canada announced it was suspending flights to Puerto Vallarta “due to the ongoing security situation” and advised customers not to go to their airport.
The US embassy said on Sunday that US citizens in Jalisco state, including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara, Tamaulipas state, including Reynosa, and areas of Michoacan state, Guerrero state, and Nuevo León state, must… Shelter in place.
The US State Department has offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to El Mencho’s arrest. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as the CJNG, is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organizations in Mexico, founded in 2009.
In February, the Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization.
It has been one of the most aggressive gangs in its attacks on the military – including by helicopter – and a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. In 2020, a stunning assassination attempt was carried out with grenades and high-explosive rifles in the heart of Mexico City against the then head of the metropolitan police force and now the head of federal security.
The DEA considers this cartel to be no less powerful than the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most notorious criminal groups in Mexico, with a presence in all 50 US states where it distributes tons of drugs. It is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the US market and, like the Sinaloa Cartel, earns billions from the production of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Since 2017, Oseguera Cervantes has been indicted several times in the U.S. 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 crimes. Oseguera Cervantes is also charged under the Drug Trafficking Enforcement Act for directing a continuing criminal enterprise.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.