El Mencho: What His Death Means for Cartels and Mexico

After the death of El Mencho, there is a a power vacuum among the drug cartels in Mexico and CJNG is experiencing internal power struggles.

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On February 22, 2026, Mexican authorities captured a powerful cartel leader, El Mencho, also known as Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes. El Mencho and his men were taken in an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco.

According to TIME, the operation was reportedly supported by U.S. intelligence, the Mexican Air Force and Mexican National Guard’s Immediate Reaction Special Force. During the operation, El Mencho was shot and died while en route to Mexico City.

El Mencho’s Connection to CJNG

El Mencho was also the leader of a drug cartel called the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Founded in 2010, CJNG became a powerful Mexican cartel with global reach.

Through ambition, violence and ruthlessness, El Mencho quickly rose to the top of CJNG, according to the BBC. By rival cartels, El Mencho was known as the “ghost” because he was able to stay hidden for years while still maintaining control of CNJG.

The Power of CJNG

In February 2025, the United States government labeled CJNG a Foreign Terrorist Organization due to its complexity, narco-terrorism activities, and violence. CJNG members typically commit a wide range of crimes, including:

Narcotics trafficking (particularly fentanyl trafficking)

Methamphetamine production

Cocaine smuggling

Human trafficking and human smuggling

Money laundering

Extortion

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) notes that CJNG operates in nearly all 50 states in the United States. The DEA also observes that CNJG is “is one of the most significant threats to the public health, public safety, and national security of the United States.”

CJNG’s presence in the U.S. reflects its power and reach within U.S. borders. That presence is especially concerning considering that traditional Mexican drug cartels often operate in Mexico and depend on the transnational criminal organization network to facilitate drug trafficking and other crimes in the United States.

In Mexico, CJNG is a primary competitor to the powerful Sinaloa Cartel. According to the National Counterterrorism Center, CJNG operates on a franchise model that involves affiliate agreements between CJNG and smaller local cartels while generating billions of dollars each year.

Currently, CJNG has around 15,000-20,000 members who exert coercion through:

Social media propaganda

Kidnappings

Public executions

Assassinations of Mexican judges and other authorities

The National Counterterrorism Center says that CJNG leadership and members were responsible for:

The murder of 15 police officers during an ambush in Jalisco in April 2015

The murder of nine Mexican soldiers in May 2015, when CJNG shot down a military helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade

The April 2025 U.S. assassination of Iván Morales Corrales, who was going to testify against El Mencho’s son

The DEA had a $15 million dollar reward for information leading to the capture of El Mencho. The New Yorker notes that El Mencho was responsible for teams of highly trained and well-armed sicarios. He utilized armed drones, makeshift landmines, and military technology to target the Mexican military.

Nationwide Unrest in Mexico After the Death of El Mencho

Shortly after authorities reported El Mencho’s death, Mexico was in disarray due to cartel violence, especially in Jalisco state and in Mexican towns near the U.S. southwest border. Buildings and vehicles were set on fire and 252 violent incidents occurred in 20 Mexican states, according to Texas Public Radio.

In addition, 25 Mexican National Guard troops were killed in six armed confrontations in Jalisco according to Military.com.

The vehicle burnings occurred along roadways and were intended to impede travel by the Mexican military and other authorities. Gas stations were set on fire, and tourists were stranded at hotels and airports. Tourists and Mexican citizens were forced to shelter in place and not leave their homes.

CJNG Members Sent Warning Messages to Local Residents

The violence seemed to mostly target authorities, rather than residents. CJNG members also sent text messages to warn citizens of the dangers. For instance, a family I know in Mexicali, Mexico, received a message on the day El Mencho’s death was announced and one of them forwarded it to me.

The message says, “Mexicali, Baja California and surrounding areas, we recommend you stay in your homes. Starting at 2 p.m., we will be going after anyone found on the streets.

“We don’t care if you are innocent; there’s a reason we are warning you. And remember, Mencho is here to stay.”

How El Mencho’s Death Affects Cartels and Mexico

Part of my work involves consulting on crime trends in Latin American prisons involving human trafficking, and I’ve interviewed current and former cartel members. El Mencho inspired considerable fear, especially among members of rival cartels. In areas of CJNG control in Mexico, there is tension due to the willingness of CJNG to engage in public brutality.

I asked a former cartel member who was part of a rival cartel regarding why we are seeing so much violence following El Mencho’s capture. He stated that “it is an inauguration for the next leader of CJNG.”

There is currently a power vacuum among the drug cartels in Mexico and CJNG is experiencing internal power struggles within its ranks. Sadly, that will likely lead to further violent acts throughout Mexico.