In a major victory for Mexico's security forces, the country's most wanted drug lord, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as "El Mencho," was killed in a military operation on Sunday. The head of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) had evaded capture for years, making him one of the world's most elusive and dangerous criminals. But his downfall now presents both opportunities and risks for Mexico's ongoing fight against organized crime.
A Brutal Cartel Leader
El Mencho rose through the ranks of Mexico's drug trafficking underworld over the past three decades, transforming a small criminal group into the country's fastest-growing and most violent cartel. The Boston Globe reports that under his leadership, the CJNG became a major force in the global drug trade, smuggling cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and migrants into the United States while also expanding its operations to more than 40 countries worldwide.
What made El Mencho particularly notorious was his cartel's ruthless tactics, which included the use of drones, improvised explosive devices, and brazen attacks on Mexican security forces. EL PAÍS notes that the CJNG was responsible for downing a military helicopter in 2015 and even attempting to assassinate Mexico City's police chief in 2020. This made El Mencho and his organization public enemy number one for both the Mexican government and the United States, which had placed a $10 million bounty on his head.
A Boost for Mexico's Security Strategy
The killing of El Mencho represents a major victory for Mexico's current administration and its security chief, Omar García Harfuch. Reuters reports that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from the United States, underscoring the strengthened cooperation between the two countries on tackling organized crime. What this really means is that Mexico's more aggressive security strategy, which marks a clear break from the previous administration's "hugs, not bullets" approach, is starting to pay dividends.
The bigger picture here is that the death of El Mencho could significantly weaken the CJNG, which The New York Times reports was Mexico's most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organization. However, the cartel's survival now depends on how quickly it can appoint a successor and close ranks. If it fragments, it could open the door for the Sinaloa Cartel, the CJNG's archenemy, to regain dominance. Mexico's security forces will need to sustain the pressure to prevent the CJNG from bouncing back and to avoid a power vacuum that could spark even more violence.