Mexican army kills leader of Jalisco Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho", 22 February 2026

[sds71]

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican army killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” in an operation Sunday, a federal official said.

The official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said it happened during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco.

It followed several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states. Such tactics are commonly used by the cartels to block military operations.

Videos circulating social media showed plumes of smoke billowing over the city of Puerto Vallarta, a major city in Jalisco, and sprinting through the airport of the state’s capital in panic.

The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is one of the most powerful and fasted growing criminal organizations in Mexico.

Mexican army kills leader of Jalisco New Generation Cartel, official says

A Mexican federal official says the Mexican army has killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in a military operation.

apnews.com

 

[sds71]

Flight trackers show flights from the U.S. (including Denver) and Canada to Puerto Vallarta are being turned around amid unrest in the city following the killing of a cartel leader.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025632150247321789

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025638776609943926

 

[sds71]

Mexico: Due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in the following locations should shelter in place until further notice: Jalisco State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025636042007605353

 

[MassGuy]

I've been waiting for this moment for years, and what we're seeing right now is totally predictable. This is the most powerful and violent cartel in Mexico, and Mencho makes a guy like El Chapo look like a choir boy. Imagine the absolute worst way to die. The CJNG cartel does that to people everyday, and films it.

 

[HmmMysterious]

The Mexican army killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday, a federal official said. It followed several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states; these tactics are commonly used by the cartels to block military operations.

Videos circulating social media showed plumes of smoke billowing over the city of Puerto Vallarta, a major city in Jalisco, and sprinting through the airport of the state's capital in panic.

The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is one of the most powerful and fasted growing criminal organizations in Mexico. It has been one of the most aggressive cartels in its attacks on the military and a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. In 2020, it carried out a major assassination attempt with grenades and high-powered rifles in Mexico City against the then head of the capital’s police force and now head of federal security.

The DEA considers this cartel to be as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico's most infamous criminal groups, with a presence in all 50 U.S states where it distributes tons of drugs. It is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the US market and, like the Sinaloa cartel, earns billions from the production of fentanyl and methamphetamines.

Mexican army kills leader of Jalisco New Generation Cartel, official says

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Mexico: Due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in the following locations should shelter in place until further notice: Jalisco State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (including Reynosa and other municipalities), areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State. More info: mx.usembassy.gov/security-alert…

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025636042007605353

 

[HmmMysterious]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025651984997470616

 

[diggndeeperstill]

There was also a gunfire at Guadalajara International Airport, news outlet Guardia Nocturna reported.
One video posted online showed travelers fleeing the terminal.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025644048032100650

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Will this violent response move to other areas in Mexico?

 

[HmmMysterious]

Will this violent response move to other areas in Mexico?

This cartel operates in 10 other Mexican states, so I'm thinking sadly yes.

Jalisco New Generation Cartel - Wikipedia

 

[diggndeeperstill]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025647394881503641

US airlines are canceling today’s flights to PVR due to cartel related violence there. United, Southwest, Delta, Alaska and Air Canada all tell us they’ve canceled flights. At least one American flight turned around as things escalated on the ground in Mexico.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

I cannot even imagine the fear in being stuck there.

Bus departures canceled at Terminal del Norte (CDMX)

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025639976340255143

 

[diggndeeperstill]

It was not immediately clear what role, if any, U.S. authorities had in the operation to take down Oseguera. Sheinbaum has pledged “cooperation and coordination” with U.S. officials, but has rejected any direct U.S. role on the ground in anti-cartel operations.

Mexican army kills 'El Mencho,' Mexico's most-wanted drug kingpin

The Mexican army has killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in a military operation.

www.latimes.com

 

[Cryptic]

Will this violent response move to other areas in Mexico?

As @diggndeeperstill mentioned, probably.

But.... CJNG retaliatory violence in other states might not be on the same scale as it is in Jalisco (Cartel's home state)

 

[Eli9]

This cartel operates in 10 other Mexican states, so I'm thinking sadly yes.

Jalisco New Generation Cartel - Wikipedia

Would this reach to other territories outside of Mexico, like Venezuela, Cuba and US?

Not directing this at you but rather anyone in this thread.

Your wiki link listed all of the territories and it made me wonder.

 

[MassGuy]

Would this reach to other territories outside of Mexico, like Venezuela, Cuba and US?

Not directing this at you but rather anyone in this thread.

Your wiki link listed all of the territories and it made me wonder.

Highly unlikely. You'll have the CJNG response against the government, and down the road there will likely be massive infighting. This is a Mexican thing.

 

[MassGuy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025665649826021641

 

[Cryptic]

Would this reach to other territories outside of Mexico, like Venezuela, Cuba and US?
.

I don't think so.

Direct Cartel presence in the US is not strong. Rather, they operate with cooperating street gangs being the foot soldiers. These are directed by a handful cartel members as the brains- who are probably several levels above the "El Mencho is dead- go torch that bus" type street flunkies.

Likewise, my bet is that the Venezuelan and Cuban armed forces make sure that the only large scale criminal groups operating in Venezuela and Cuba are locally owned and operated.

 

[Eli9]

Highly unlikely. You'll have the CJNG response against the government, and down the road there will likely be massive infighting. This is a Mexican thing.

I don't think so.

Direct Cartel presence in the US is not strong. Rather, they operate with cooperating street gangs being the foot soldiers. These are directed by a handful cartel members as the brains- who are probably several levels above the "go torch that bus" type street flunkies.

Likewise, my bet is that the Venezuelan and Cuban armed forces make sure that the only large scale criminal groups operating in Venezuela and Cuba are locally owned and operated.

Thank you both!

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025674393431466184

"The US State Department
has issued a security alert for all Americans stranded in Mexico
after chaos erupted when the army killed the leader of a powerful cartel.

The intense commotion and code red warning was triggered in the early hours of Sunday,
when the Mexican Army went into the rustic town of Tapalpa,
which is about 170 miles southeast of Puerto Vallarta, in the state of Jalisco.

They killed Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes, according to high-ranking officials who spoke with local publications."