Mexican army kills drug lord Oseguera 'El Mencho'
· DWNemesio Oseguera, known as El Mencho, headed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico's most violent drug trafficking organizations. The United States had offered a $15 million bounty for his capture.
The Mexican army on Sunday killed Mexican drug lord Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho."
Oseguera headed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
What do we know about the raid that killed Oseguera?
Oseguera was wounded during a raid in the town of Tapalpa in western Jalisco state and died while being flown to Mexico City, the Mexican army said in a statement.
It said four members of the cartel were killed in the raid and three more, including Oseguera, died of their wounds while being transferred to the Mexican capital.
Two more people were arrested. Armored vehicles, rocket launchers and other arms were seized.
Earlier on Sunday, armed men set cars and trucks on fire in Jalisco state to block the advance of security forces during the operation.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau welcomed the killing as a "great development for Mexico, US, Latin America, and the world."
The US State Department warned US citizens in the states of Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero and Neuvo Leon to remain in safe places due to ongoing security operations.
The United States had offered a $15 million bounty for his capture.
Mexico's Embassy in Washington, DC, said that the United States had provided information that aided in the raid that led to Oseguera's death.
"In addition to central military intelligence efforts, complementary information was provided by U.S. authorities within the framework of bilateral coordination and cooperation with the United States," it said in a post on X.
Airlines cancel dozens of flights to Mexico
The killing of Oseguera sparked several hours of roadblocks and burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states. Cartels commonly use such tactics to block military operations.
The state of Jalisco canceled school for Monday. Governor Pablo Lemus also urged residents to stay home and suspended public transportation. An outbreak of violence also led to the suspension of multiple football games.
Meanwhile, US and Canadian airlines canceled dozens of flights to parts of Mexico following the killing of Oseguera and the subsequent violence.
US airlines Alaska, United, and Southwest, as well as Canadian airlines WestJet and Air Canada, announced the suspension of flights to destinations including Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Manzanillo.
In a post on X, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged citizens to remain calm, stating that the central government was coordinating with state authorities in response to the violence.
Who are 'El Mencho' and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel?
The US Justice Department considers the cartel, which was founded in 2009, to be one of Mexico's most violent drug trafficking organizations.
It is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the United States and also produces fentanyl and methamphetamines.
Oseguera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin by a California court in 1994 and served a prison sentence of nearly three years. After his release from prison, he returned to Mexico and continued to engage in cartel activity.
He has been indicted several times in a District of Columbia court, including a 2022 indictment for conspiracy and distribution of controlled substances and use of firearms in connection with drug trafficking offenses.
Sheinbaum under pressure to deal with cartel crime
While Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been critical of the "kingpin" strategy focused on killing cartel leaders in the past, she has been under increasing pressure to show results in the fight against drug trafficking since US President Donald Trump took office for his second term in January 2025.
Trump has vowed to "wage war" on Latin American drug cartels and has not ruled out carrying out US military strikes on targets in Mexico or deploying troops there.
Trump's administration designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a terrorist organization in February.
Edited by: Sean Sinico