Mexican Military Eliminates CJNG Leader El Mencho in Targeted Jalisco Operation

Mexico City, Sunday, 22 February 2026.
On Sunday, February 22, 2026, Mexican military forces eliminated Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” in a targeted operation in Jalisco, ending the decades-long pursuit of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader. Oseguera, who carried a $15 million U.S. reward, was a central figure in the global synthetic drug trade. While this operation represents a major victory for Mexico’s federal security strategy, the immediate aftermath has seen violent retaliatory blockades across multiple states, including Michoacán and Guanajuato. Analytically, this event signals a critical transition point; the removal of such a dominant capstone figure is likely to fracture the CJNG, leading to a volatile succession struggle. This fragmentation poses significant risks for regional security and cross-border logistics as rival factions and cartels maneuver to fill the power vacuum left by one of the world’s most wanted fugitives.