Mexican cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ killed in military raid
Mexico’s defense ministry said Oseguera was seriously injured in the clash in the western state of Jalisco and died during an air transfer to Mexico (City). The department noted that U.S. officials provided “supplementary information.”
The operation set off a wave of violence in more than half a dozen states, with cars burned and gunmen blocking highways.
Oseguera, a former police officer, was the shadowy leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), named after the western state that is home to Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s largest cities.
In a relatively short time, the CJNG grew into an international criminal organization rivaling its former allies in the Sinaloa Cartel, the gang of captured kingpin Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, who is now in a US prison.
The military operation against Oseguera follows the Trump administration’s pressure campaign on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government to step up its crackdown on drug trafficking, including threats of direct U.S. intervention in Mexico.
“The arrest operation was led by the Defense ministry and he was eventually killed,” a government source familiar with the operation told Reuters. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said Oseguera’s killing was a “major development” for the United States and Mexico, as well as the rest of Latin America.
The killing of the ringleader marks a major victory in Mexico’s war against drug cartels responsible for smuggling billions of dollars of cocaine and fentanyl into the United States. A wave of violence is also expected to occur across Mexico.
“There will be a tremendous amount of violence that will occur,” said international organized crime expert Vanda Felbab-Brown.
He compared Oseguera to other major drug figures seized in recent years, Guzman and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, both from the rival Sinaloa cartel.
“Other than the heads of the Sinaloa cartel, El Mencho has been the biggest prize in years.”
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro urged residents to stay home until the situation is under control, and the US embassy advised its citizens to stay put.
Videos on social media show burning cars on roads in Jalisco, sending thick smoke into the sky. Mexican media outlets reported that vehicles were burned and gunmen blocked highways in more than half a dozen states across the country, especially in the north and west.
Air Canada said Sunday it was temporarily suspending operations from Puerto Vallarta on Jalisco’s Pacific coast, a popular beach resort for Canadians and Americans.
United Airlines and American Airlines said they were canceling flight operations to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.
“United Airlines flight operations to PVR have been cancelled,” the carrier said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
In a separate statement to Reuters, American Airlines said it was canceling flights to and from PVR and GDL for the remainder of Sunday, February 22.
