Is Mexico Bracing for a Cartel War After the Death of “El Mencho”?
It’s the news that has sent shockwaves across the globe: Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel known as “El Mencho,” was killed this past Sunday during a high-stakes military raid in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The fallout was immediate and violent, with cartel members torching buses and blocking roads in at least 20 states. In response, President Claudia Sheinbaum has deployed over 10,000 troops to restore order, insisting that while the U.S. provided “complementary intelligence,” no American forces were actually on the ground for the operation.
This takedown is being called the biggest blow to organized crime since “El Chapo” was captured a decade ago. While the Mexican government is celebrating a massive victory, the streets remain tense as authorities try to prevent a bloody power struggle within the cartel. Schools have been closed and flights canceled in some areas as the army works to clear roadblocks. All eyes are now on Sheinbaum to see if she can keep the country stable or if this “victory” will spark a new wave of regional unrest.