Soldiers in Mexico scored a massive blow against organized crime on February 22, taking out Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the feared head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known to all as El Mencho, during an intense firefight in the mountains near Tapalpa.
This elusive kingpin, who’d dodged authorities for over a decade, got airlifted for emergency care but passed away from his injuries en route to the capital. It’s a rare triumph for President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government, especially as it faces demands from U.S. President Donald Trump to curb the fentanyl pipeline crossing the border.
The aftermath hit like a storm. Enraged cartel members lashed out in a wave of violence spanning more than ten states, setting cars and big rigs ablaze to choke off roads, ambushing troops and officers in cities including Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Zapopan.
Neighborhoods that buzz with life went dead silent—kids stayed home from school, flights crawled to a halt, and folks barricaded themselves inside while thick smoke hung over beaches and boulevards. The military pushed back fiercely, snatching up heavy weapons like grenade launchers and makeshift armored vehicles from the gangs’ hideouts, though the clashes claimed lives on both sides.El Mencho turned his group into a powerhouse, crafting killer drones, rolling out fortress-like trucks, and pumping deadly synthetics into streets worldwide.
Even his inner circle—kids and siblings—remain in the crosshairs of American courts, revealing the tight-knit empire he ran.
While this could smooth talks between Washington and Mexico City, thanks in part to fresh U.S. intelligence sharing, the future looks grim. Relatives hungry for payback might ramp up the brutality, plunging regions into deeper war—or a cooler head could keep the cash flowing quietly. Either way, Mexico’s battle with these armed networks feels far from over, leaving everyone on edge.
