Mexico: Wanted drug lord ‘El Mencho’ killed in military operation, violence erupts across Mexico

New Delhi. The Mexican Defense Ministry has announced that Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, one of the world’s most wanted drug smugglers and known as ‘El Mencho’, has been killed in a military operation. Oseguera’s death has sparked reports of violence across Mexico. The operation was carried out by Mexican security forces in the western state of Jalisco.

According to the ministry, the 59-year-old fugitive drug lord died from serious injuries sustained during air transfer following a military operation. El Mencho’s organization, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), had become Mexico’s most powerful criminal group over the past decade and a major source of drug trafficking to the United States.

However, President Claudia Sheinbaum has refrained from officially confirming this, saying that the full details on the matter will be provided by the security cabinet.

News of Oseguera’s death sparked violence in several CJNG stronghold states, where gunmen burned vehicles and blocked main roads in retaliation, officials said.

Buses, trucks and cars were set on fire in Jalisco, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Michoacan and Tamaulipas, while in Guadalajara people fled streets and transport hubs fearing reprisals, local media and officials reported.

Public advisory issued…
Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro said the state remains under a “code red” security alert and urged people to stay indoors. Public transportation has been shut down in parts of the region, and travel on state highways has been restricted due to the ongoing clashes.

“We are in code red. We reiterate the advice not to leave your homes. There are clashes at several federal sites,” Lemus said.

Local media reported that Oseguera was killed during a federal operation in or near Tapalpa, a mountain town about 80 miles southwest of Guadalajara. Videos circulating on regional media showed heavy gunfire and security deployments in the area.

The CJNG has long roots in rural Jalisco, where Oseguera (a former police officer) rose to lead a cartel network that relied on military-style force and ruthless intimidation to seize territory and control smuggling routes.

The US Embassy in Mexico has issued a security alert regarding retaliatory actions following the killing of the CJNG cartel leader. “Due to the ongoing security operation and associated roadblocks and criminal activity, US citizens should remain in safe areas until further notice,” the US Embassy said.

India has issued an
advisory to its citizens in view of the situation in Mexico.