By Blessing Nweke
Mexico’s most wanted man, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), has died after being captured during a military operation, according to Mexico’s defence ministry.
Known as “El Mencho,” the 59-year-old cartel boss was seriously injured in clashes between his supporters and security forces in Tapalpa, in Jalisco state. Authorities said he died Sunday while being transported to Mexico City. Four CJNG members were killed during the operation, while three army personnel were injured.
The operation — planned and executed by Mexican special forces with assistance from the United States Department of State — triggered widespread cartel retaliation. Vehicles were set ablaze, roadblocks erected and attacks on security forces reported across at least eight states.
The U.S. issued shelter-in-place warnings for citizens in several regions, including Jalisco and other violence-affected states. Eyewitness videos showed smoke rising over cities such as Guadalajara, a host city for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, while unrest disrupted travel in the tourist hub of Puerto Vallarta, leaving thousands of visitors stranded as flights were cancelled.
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, urged calm, saying most parts of the country were operating normally. Jalisco governor Pablo Lemus Navarro advised residents to stay indoors under a code-red alert and confirmed public transport suspensions.
El Mencho, a former police officer, led a vast trafficking network moving cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration had long described CJNG as a major rival to the Sinaloa Cartel.
His death marks a significant victory for Sheinbaum’s anti-cartel strategy but risks further violence as authorities attempt to contain the cartel’s response nationwide.
Original article
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