Clashes have erupted across Mexico after the army carried out an operation killed drug lord El Mencho on Sunday, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Mexico’s defense ministry stated that Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes was left seriously injured in a shootout in Jalisco. During an air lift to Mexico city, he died. Follow LIVE updates on Mexico clashes here
Following the death of the drug lord, massive clashes and widespread violence erupted across Jalisco and other states. Flight operations across the North American country have also been hit.
Here’s a look at what is happening in Mexico right now –
Mexico erupts in clashes | Latest updates
- El Mencho killed – Leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” was killed on Sunday during an operation carried out by the Mexican army and special forces.
- Violence erupts across Jalisco state – In the aftermath of the operation, violence erupted in parts of Mexico’s Jalisco, including Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Tapalpa. Roadblocks were set up across the state with burnt cars following the death of the CJNG leader. Flight operations at Guadalajara airport and Puerto Vallarta airport have also been impacted due to the widespread violence.
- Embassy debunks fake, AI-generated video amid violence – Shortly after clahses erupted across Mexico after the killing of drug lord El Mencho, videos of a fire or possible shootout at Guadalajara Airport emerged online. However, the Mexican Embassy in the US has debunked these videos and said they are fake and generated through artificial intelligence. “It Is FALSE that a plane caught fire at Guadalajara Airport. The image circulating on social media showing a plane allegedly belonging to Volaris on fire in Guadalajara, Jalisco, is false and was generated using Artificial Intelligence,” the embassy wrote on social media platform X.
- US, Canada issue advisories – The United States, after learning of the operations, has issued a “shelter in place” alert for Americans in Mexico. A similar alert for been issued by Canada asking Canadians in the country to “keep a low profile.” Furthermore, several US and Canadian airlines have also cancelled flight operations due to the violent clashes.
- Several killed – Along with El Mencho, four others will killed during the raid in Jalisco. The death toll during the raid later increased to 7 with the death of three others, including El Mencho, who were critically wounded. Furthermore, according to an AP report citing state officials, at least seven National Guard members were killed in Tapalpa and Zapopan. A jail guard was also killed at a lockup in Puerto Vallarta when prisoners rioted and an agent from the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office was killed in Guadalajara.
- US welcomes operation against CJNG – US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called the killing of Mexican drug lord “El Mencho” during a military operation a “great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world”. “I’m watching the scenes of violence from Mexico with great sadness and concern,” Landau wrote in a post on X.
- US military -led task force aided in military raid – A new US military-led task force specialising in intelligence collection on drug cartels played a role in the Mexican military raid The Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, which involves multiple U.S. government agencies, was formally launched last month, A US defence official told news agency Reuters.
