There are currently at least 26 deaths confirmed by the authorities following the violence in Mexico following the killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of the most powerful drug trafficking organizations in the South American country. The civilian victims include a woman in her third month of pregnancy and 17 law enforcement officers. On the criminal front, 6 deaths were recorded. And 27 people were arrested.
The head of the CJNG, considered one of the undisputed Central American “drug barons”, had a reward of 15 million dollars from Donald Trump’s government, and was one of the main security targets of both Claudia Sheinbaum’s government and the US administration.
The boss was eliminated today during a vast military operation in the state of Jalisco in coordination also with Washington, as confirmed by the Ministry of Defense. And in southern Jalisco violence broke out in the streets with chaos, fires and road blockades.
During the operation that led to the death of the notorious criminal “military personnel were attacked – said Mexico City – and, in self-defense, repelled the attack, causing the death of four members of the Cjng criminal group on the spot and the serious wounding of three others, who died during air transport to Mexico City”. Among the latter, there was also ‘El Mencho’. In terms of significance and impact, his death can only be compared to the arrests of Ismael ‘El Mayò Zambada, in July 2014, and Joaquín ‘El Chapò Guzmán, the two leaders of the now extinct Sinaloa Cartel.
Like them, “El Mencho” had built a reputation as an implacable and unattainable leader fueled by brutal violence and overwhelming power exercised through the CJNG. The news was greeted with enthusiasm in Washington: “The killing of El Mencho, one of the most ruthless and bloodthirsty drug bosses, is great news for Mexico, the United States, South America and the world”, said Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, however at the same time saying he was “concerned” about the scenes of violence taking place in Mexico.
The killing of the narco leader has in fact unleashed a wave of chaos still ongoing in various states of the country, so much so that several American airlines, including United and Delta, are canceling direct flights to Puerto Vallarta airport in Mexico: CBS reports this, underlining that cancellations were also decided by Air Canada.
Pablo Lemus, governor of Jalisco, reported that a red alert was activated following the operation, which took place in the municipality of Tapalpa. “Single individuals set fires and blocked the roads with vehicles to hinder the authorities’ action,” he said. “I ordered the immediate convening of a security task force with authorities from all three levels of government and the activation of the red alert to prevent acts against the population.”
Also on alert in the neighboring state of Michoacan: the governor Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla has launched a surveillance operation throughout the territory to react to the unrest that broke out after the elimination of the boss. At the port of Manzanillo, the most important in Mexico, the operations of the customs office have been suspended. The United States government also published a statement asking its fellow citizens in the states of Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacán and Nuevo León to “remain at home due to ongoing security operations, related roadblocks and criminal activity.”