By Zoila Palma: Mexico’s most-wanted drug leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was killed Sunday following a major military operation in western Mexico, officials said.
His death marks a significant blow to organized crime and a major victory for the Mexican government as it seeks to demonstrate concrete security results to the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Oseguera, a former police officer, headed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which US officials have described as one of the most powerful and ruthless criminal groups operating in Mexico.
He had long been one of the world’s most-wanted traffickers, with US authorities offering rewards for information leading to his capture, CNN reports.
The operation took place in the town of Tapalpa, in the western state of Jalisco, and involved multiple branches of Mexico’s military.
According to Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense, CJNG members exchanged gunfire with security forces during the raid.
Four suspected gang members were killed at the scene, while Oseguera and two others were seriously wounded and later died while being transported by aircraft to Mexico City. Three Mexican service members were injured and hospitalized.
Violence quickly spread beyond Jalisco, with clashes and arson attacks reported in Michoacán and Guanajuato.
Suspected organized crime members torched buses and businesses, blocked highways, and confronted authorities.
In response, the US State Department urged American citizens in affected areas to seek shelter and remain inside their homes or hotels until further notice.
Chaos was particularly visible in Puerto Vallarta, a Pacific coast resort popular with US tourists. Multiple fires were reported across the city, and panic spread at local airports.
Major carriers including Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Air Canada canceled flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, temporarily stranding travelers. Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency later said airport operations had resumed Sunday afternoon.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro said the violence extended to at least five states and urged residents to stay home, suspending public transportation until order could be restored. In Guanajuato, authorities reported fires at pharmacies and convenience stores but said no injuries had been recorded. Security operations involving the Army, National Guard, and local police were deployed to contain the unrest.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the agencies involved in the mission and said state governments were working in full coordination to restore stability.
The post International News: Cartel violence erupts in Mexico following killing of “El Mencho”; tourists urged to shelter in place appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Mexico’s most-wanted drug leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was killed Sunday following a major military operation in western Mexico, officials said. His death marks a significant blow to organized crime and a major victory for the Mexican government as it seeks to demonstrate concrete security results to the administration
The post International News: Cartel violence erupts in Mexico following killing of “El Mencho”; tourists urged to shelter in place appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
