Mexico fears extra violence after military kills cartel chief ‘El Mencho’ : NPR

A soldier stands guard by a charred automobile after it was set on fireplace, in Cointzio, Michoacán state, Mexico, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, following the demise of the chief of the Jalisco New Era Cartel, Nemesio Oseguera, often called “El Mencho.”

Armando Solis/AP

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Armando Solis/AP

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — College was canceled in a number of Mexican states and native and overseas governments alike warned their residents to remain inside, as widespread violence erupted following the military’s killing of the highly effective chief of the Jalisco New Era Cartel.

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, often called “El Mencho” was the boss of one of many fastest-growing legal networks in Mexico, infamous for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to america and staging brazen assaults in opposition to authorities officers who challenged it.

He was killed throughout a shoot-out in his dwelling state of Jalisco because the Mexican navy tried to seize him. Cartel members responded with violence throughout the nation, blocking roads and setting fireplace to automobiles.

President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm and authorities introduced late Sunday they’d cleared a lot of the greater than 250 cartel roadblocks throughout 20 states. The White Home confirmed that the U.S. supplied intelligence help to the operation to seize the cartel chief and applauded Mexico’s military for taking down a person who was some of the needed criminals in each nations.

Mexico hoped the demise of the world’s greatest fentanyl traffickers would ease Trump administration stress to do extra in opposition to the cartels, however many remained hunkered down and on edge as they waited to see the highly effective cartel’s response.

Many worry extra violence

Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state and Mexico’s second-largest metropolis, was nearly fully shut down on Sunday as fearful residents stayed dwelling.

Passengers arriving to town’s worldwide airport Sunday evening have been informed it was working with restricted personnel due to the burst of violence.

Jacinta Murcia, a 64-year-old vitamin merchandise vendor, was amongst these nervously strolling late Sunday evening by way of the airport, the place earlier within the day vacationers sprinted and ducked behind chairs fearing violence. Most flights into town have been suspended on Sunday.

Murcia anxiously scrolled by way of information tales on social media exhibiting the face of “El Mencho” and despatched messages to her youngsters, who have been monitoring her location as she tried to journey throughout town to her home after darkish.

“My plan immediately leaving the airport is to see if there are any taxis, however I am frightened of the whole lot. That there are blockades, that there is a curfew, that one thing might occur,” she mentioned. “I am on their lonesome.”

Authorities in Jalisco, Michoacan and Guanajuato reported at the least 14 different folks killed Sunday, together with seven Nationwide Guard troops.

Movies circulating on social media confirmed vacationers in Puerto Vallarta strolling on the seashore with smoke rising within the distance.

In one other a part of the airport a bunch of aged Mexicans gathered, discussing find out how to get dwelling.

“We higher all go collectively,” one mentioned. “Go along with God.”

A blow in opposition to a cartel might be a diplomatic coup

David Mora, Mexico analyst for Worldwide Disaster Group, mentioned the seize and outburst of violence marks a degree of inflection in Sheinbaum’s push to crack down on cartels and relieve U.S. pressures.

U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Mexico do extra to combat the smuggling of the often-deadly drug fentanyl, threatening to impose extra tariffs or take unilateral navy motion if the nation doesn’t present outcomes.

There have been early indicators that Mexico’s efforts have been effectively acquired by america.

U.S. Amb. Ron Johnson acknowledged the success of the Mexican armed forces and their sacrifice in an announcement late Sunday. He added that “beneath the management of President Trump and President Sheinbaum, bilateral cooperation has reached unprecedented ranges.”

However it might additionally pave the best way for extra violence as rival legal teams make the most of the blow dealt to the CJNG, Mora mentioned.

“This is perhaps a second during which these different teams see that the cartel is weakened and wish to seize the chance for them to increase management and to achieve management over Cartel Jalisco in these states,” he mentioned.

“Ever since President Sheinbaum has been in energy, the military has been far more confrontational, combative in opposition to legal teams in Mexico,” Mora mentioned. “That is signaling to the U.S. that if we maintain cooperating, sharing intelligence, Mexico can do it, we do not want U.S. troops on Mexican soil.”

‘El Mencho’ was a serious goal

Oseguera Cervantes, who was wounded within the operation to seize him Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco, a few two-hour drive southwest of Guadalajara, died whereas being flown to Mexico Metropolis, the Protection Division mentioned in an announcement.

In the course of the operation, troops got here beneath fireplace and killed 4 folks on the location. Three extra folks, together with Oseguera Cervantes, have been wounded and later died, the assertion mentioned.

White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned through X that the U.S. authorities supplied intelligence help for the operation. “‘El Mencho’ was a prime goal for the Mexican and United States authorities as one of many prime traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland,” she wrote. She counseled Mexico’s navy for its work.

The U.S. State Division had supplied a reward of as much as $15 million for info resulting in the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Era Cartel is without doubt one of the strongest and quickest rising legal organizations in Mexico and commenced working round 2009.

In February 2025, the Trump administration designated the cartel as a overseas terrorist group.

Sheinbaum has criticized the “kingpin” technique of earlier administrations that took out cartel leaders, solely to set off explosions of violence as cartels fractured. Whereas she has remained common in Mexico, safety is a persistent concern and since U.S. President Donald Trump took workplace a yr in the past, she has been beneath super stress to point out outcomes in opposition to drug trafficking.

The Jalisco cartel has been some of the aggressive cartels in its assaults on the navy — together with on helicopters — and is a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and putting in mines. In 2020, it carried out a spectacular assassination try with grenades and high-powered rifles within the coronary heart of Mexico Metropolis in opposition to the then head of the capital’s police power and now federal safety secretary.