Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious Mexican drug lord known as ‘El Mencho’ and leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed in a military operation in western Mexico on Sunday. Oseguera was captured during the raid but died of injuries sustained in a firefight while being transported for treatment, following the operation that was carried out with support from US intelligence. His death marks one of the biggest blows to organised crime in the country in recent years.
El Mencho, was one of the most feared and powerful drug lords in modern Mexico, rising from rural poverty to lead a global criminal empire marked by extreme violence. He was a former police officer who turned to organised crime, and his death ended years of pursuit by both Mexican and US agencies. At the time of his death, the United States had placed a USD 15 million bounty on him, making him one of the most wanted fugitives in the world.
EL MENCHO AND HIS VIOLENT LEGACY
El Mencho was the founder and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), an organisation that grew within a decade into one of the most powerful and militarised criminal groups globally. Under his command, the cartel built a vast network trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl across continents, particularly into the United States, where authorities blamed the group for contributing significantly to the opioid overdose crisis.
The cartel also diversified into fuel theft, extortion, kidnapping, forced labour, and money laundering, turning itself into a diversified criminal enterprise rather than a conventional drug trafficking group.
Born in 1966 in Mexico’s Michoacan, a region long associated with drug cultivation, Oseguera grew up working in agricultural fields before migrating illegally to the United States in the 1980s. While in California, he became involved in the heroin trade and was eventually arrested, served prison time, and deported back to Mexico.
After returning, he briefly joined local law enforcement, gaining contacts and operational knowledge that would later aid his criminal career. He subsequently entered organised crime through the Milenio Cartel, a group linked to the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, where he rose through the ranks before flouting his own cartel.
RISE OF CJNG AND WAR WITH RIVALS
After the fragmentation of the Milenio Cartel, El Mencho consolidated loyal factions and declared war on rival groups, including former allies in the Sinaloa Cartel to form CJNG around 2009-2011. This marked another turning point in Mexico’s criminal landscape. His leadership style combined business efficiency with ruthless violence.
The CJNG adopted paramilitary tactics rarely seen at such a scale in organised crime, deploying armoured vehicles, heavy weapons, rocket launchers, and uniformed gunmen. The cartel frequently released propaganda videos showing convoys of fighters to project power and intimidate opponents.
REPUTATION FOR EXTREME VIOLENCE
Authorities linked CJNG to mass killings, beheadings, and assassinations of police officers and officials over the years, bringing El Mencho’s reputation for brutality central to his story.
One of the most dramatic incidents occurred in 2015, when cartel gunmen shot down a Mexican military helicopter using a rocket-propelled grenade during an operation aimed at capturing him. In the same year, over a six-week period, CJNG killed 24 police officers in western Mexico as a warning to authorities.
In 2020, the cartel was also blamed for a high-profile assassination attempt on Mexico City’s police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch, who survived despite suffering serious injuries, while two of his bodyguards were killed.
A SHADOWY LEADER WHO EVADED CAPTURE
Despite the violence, El Mencho maintained a relatively low personal profile compared to other cartel leaders. He rarely appeared in public and communicated through intermediaries or threatening audio recordings leaked online.
His ability to evade capture for years enhanced his mystique and reputation within criminal networks. Authorities believed he relied on rural hideouts, loyal bodyguards including former military personnel and corruption within institutions to remain ahead of law enforcement operations.
POLITICAL INFLUENCE AND SOCIAL OUTREACH
El Mencho’s power was also reinforced through political influence and social outreach. His cartel was accused of bribing officials and funding political campaigns, particularly in the state of Jalisco. Experts noted that CJNG was one of the biggest buyers of politicians and political campaigns, which has given it an enormous social base.
At the same time, the organisation sought legitimacy among local populations. During the Covid pandemic, cartel members distributed food packages branded with CJNG logos to struggling communities, helping cultivate loyalty in regions where government services were limited.
Experts noted that this blend of violence and social support mirrored strategies used by insurgent groups seeking territorial control.
FAMILY NETWORK AND INNER CIRCLE
Family ties played a significant role in El Mencho’s operations. His wife, Rosalinda Gonzalez Valencia, was linked to the cartel’s financial network, while relatives connected to the Gonzlez Valencia family, known as Los Cuinis, helped manage money laundering operations.
His son, Rubn Oseguera, known as “El Menchito,” was sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States in 2025 for drug trafficking and weapons offences, highlighting the transnational nature of the cartel’s activities.
Mexican authorities said El Mencho was killed during a military raid following a firefight with security forces. His death triggered immediate cartel retaliation, including roadblocks, vehicle burnings, and armed confrontations across several states, demonstrating the central role he played in CJNG’s command structure.
Security experts warn that his killing, while a major symbolic victory for authorities, could spark internal struggles within the cartel and potentially increase violence as factions compete for control.
