As Mexico carried out a massive security operation on Sunday against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the United States has said the operation was done based on intelligence provided by Washington. The raid, conducted by Mexican Special Forces, resulted in the killing of El Mencho, infamous drug lord and the leader of CJNG.
Taking to social media platform X, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that while the operation was carried out on the instructions of the Mexican government, the Trump administration did provide intelligence support. Follow LIVE updates on Mexico clashes here
‘‘El Mencho’ was a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland. Last year, President Trump rightfully designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization — because that’s exactly what it is. In this operation, three additional cartel members were killed, three were wounded, and two were arrested,” Leavitt wrote on X.
The White House press secretary added that the Trump administration welcomed the operation and “commends and thanks the Mexican military for their cooperation and successful execution of this operation.”
Ahead of the Press Secretary’s statement, a report by Reuters, citing US defence officials, stated that a task force led by the US military compiled a detailed target package on the drug lord, which was then handed over to the Mexican government.
As per Reuters, this task force – The Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel – was formally launched last month.
Involving multiple US government agencies, the task force works with the goal of mapping out networks of drug cartel members on both sides of the US-Mexico border.
Apart from the intelligence support from the US, Mexico has stated that Washington played no other role in the operation.
Mexican drug lord El Mencho killed
Mexican authorities killed drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, commonly known as ‘El Mencho,’ during an operation designed to capture him in the western state of Jalisco.
As per the statement issued by the Mexican defence ministry, the Oseguera Cervantes was wounded critically during the operation and died during the air lift to Mexico City.
The operation set off a wave of violence and clashes across Mexican states, with torched cars and gunmen, placed by the cartel, blocking highways.
Several countries such as the US, Canada and India have issued “take shelter” advisories for their citizens in Mexico.
