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Mexico has been placed on high alert after the reported death of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), triggered coordinated violence across several states.
Schools were closed, businesses shuttered, and travellers left stranded as cartel members launched retaliatory attacks following the army’s announcement that Oseguera had died from wounds sustained during a clash with soldiers in Tapalpa, Jalisco state.
According to the Mexican army, the 59-year-old cartel chief was injured in a confrontation on Sunday and died while being transported to Mexico City. Oseguera had long been one of Mexico’s most wanted men, with a $15 million US bounty on his head. His death prompted armed groups to block highways, torch vehicles and attack businesses, spreading fear across Jalisco and neighbouring Michoacán, as well as the resort city of Puerto Vallarta.
In Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, streets were largely deserted as shops, pharmacies and petrol stations shut down. Maria Medina, who works at a petrol station that was set ablaze, described the panic. “I thought they were going to kidnap us. I ran to a taco stand to take cover with the people there,” she told AFP, recounting how armed men ordered staff to evacuate before setting the premises on fire.
International governments responded swiftly. The United Kingdom advised against all but essential travel to parts of Mexico, including Jalisco. The United States urged its citizens to “shelter in place until further notice,” while Canada warned of “shootouts with security forces and explosions.” Dozens of US and Canadian flights were cancelled as unrest intensified. Australia also called on its nationals to exercise caution.
President Claudia Sheinbaum appealed for calm as security forces sought to restore order. The army confirmed that six suspected cartel gunmen were killed during the operation, three soldiers were wounded, and two suspects were arrested. Authorities said they seized heavy weaponry, including rocket launchers capable of targeting aircraft and armoured vehicles.
Mexico acknowledged that the operation benefited from “complementary information” provided by US authorities. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Washington had offered “intelligence support.”
Experts warn that Oseguera’s death could destabilise the CJNG further. His son, Ruben “El Menchito” Oseguera Gonzalez, was convicted in the United States last year, leaving what analyst David Mora described as “the absence of a direct succession,” potentially creating a “power vacuum” that “opens the door to violent realignments within the organization.”
The CJNG, founded in 2009, has grown into one of Mexico’s most violent criminal organisations, surpassing even the Sinaloa cartel in reach and brutality. As Guatemala reinforces its border to prevent spillover violence, attention now turns to whether Oseguera’s death will weaken the cartel or ignite a new phase of instability across the region.
