One man was killed in a mountain raid on Sunday. By nightfall, half of Mexico was paralyzed. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes — “El Mencho” — died after a military operation with U.S. intelligence support in the Sierra de Tapalpa, Jalisco.
The intended capture turned lethal when he was wounded in a firefight and died during an airlift to Mexico City. The DEA had a $15 million bounty on him and described the CJNG as operating in at least 40 countries.
The cartel’s response was ferocious. Within hours, 250 roadblocks were reported across 20 states. In Guadalajara, 20 banks were torched. In Puerto Vallarta, smoke rose over the tourist district as all ground transport shut down and tourists missed flights rather than risk the road to the airport.
Jalisco’s governor declared a “code red.” Ten states canceled school for Monday. Aeroméxico suspended flights across western Mexico. The United States issued shelter alerts for Puerto Vallarta, Cancún, Tulum, Tijuana, and parts of six other states. At least seven more countries followed.
The CJNG operates in all 32 Mexican states and at least 40 countries. History suggests that killing a cartel leader triggers succession wars — as happened in Culiacán after operations against Ovidio Guzmán. El Mencho’s death is the biggest blow to Mexican drug trafficking in a generation. Whether it marks a turning point or the start of something worse remains to be seen.