Who was ‘El Mencho’, the feared cartel leader and Mexico’s most wanted man, killed in military operation?
The killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s leader by the Mexican military on Sunday during an attempt to capture him was the biggest high-profile blow to the cartels.
The fear of El Mencho was such that the US State Department had been offering a $15 million award for information leading to his arrest. (Photo: US State Department)
Who was Mexico’s El Mencho? The most wanted man in Mexico and one of the dreaded Mexican drug lords, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, was the leader of Mexico’s brutal gang, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and was considered one of the country’s most violent criminals.
The killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s leader by the Mexican military on Sunday during an attempt to capture him was the biggest high-profile blow to the cartels since the recapture of former Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán a decade ago.
This wanted poster released on the US State Department website shows leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” (US State Department via AP)
Following El Mencho’s death, the gunmen unleashed violence across Mexico and 20 Mexican states saw roads getting blocked by cartel members after they burned cars. Mexico’s second largest city, Guadalajara saw people locking themselves in their homes as schools were cancelled in several states.
El Mencho was born in 1966 to poor farmers and moved to California when he was a teenager. (AI Generated Image)
Who was El Mencho, leader of a fast growing criminal group?
El Mencho was born in 1966 to poor farmers and moved to California when he was a teenager. As a young adult, he faced charges of drug trafficking twice. He was jailed in the US in 1994 for three years on drug trafficking charges. When he returned to Mexico after his second arrest, he worked as a police officer in the department, New York Times reported.
But El Mencho quickly rose in the ranks of Mexico’s drug trafficking underworld and formed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in 2009. The cartel functioned as a criminal organisation which smuggled cocaine, methamphetamines, fentanyl and migrants to the United States and used violence with the help of drones and IEDs.
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A soldier stands guard by a charred vehicle after it was set on fire, in Cointzio, Michoacán state, Mexico, following the death of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho.” (AP Photo)
The fear of El Mencho was such that the US State Department had been offering a $15 million award for information leading to his arrest. His cartel became infamous for attacking Mexican security forces, including targeting a military helicopter in Jalisco in 2015 and an unsuccessful assassination attempt of the then Mexico City Police Chief Omar García Harfuch.
Before El Mencho formed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, he had a brutal career wherein he served as chief of hitmen for the Milenio Cartel. He also oversaw the security and operational violence for the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, CNN reported. Sinaloa Cartel’s former leader Guzman is currently serving a life sentence in the US.
According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Jalisco New Generation Cartel emerged from the remnants of the Milenio Cartel, which witnessed a split after its leader Óscar Nava Valencia was captured by security personnel in 2009.
According to the DEA, El Mencho formed the Jalisco cartel with Abigael González Valencia, who was the chief of the Los Cuinis cartel operating in Michoacán. The DEA said, “Abigael’s Los Cuinis served as the financial and logistical arm of the Jalisco cartel and oversaw its diverse network of money laundering operations.”
Nischai Vats is a Deputy Copy Editor at The Indian Express. His work primarily covers US politics and visa and immigration policy, alongside broader international developments, with an emphasis on accuracy, verification, and clear explainers.
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Nischai joined The Indian Express in May 2024 where he works on writing, editing, and refining high-impact stories for digital platforms. His role involves ensuring editorial consistency, factual accuracy, and clarity in coverage of complex policy-driven subjects.
Earlier in his career, he worked across Indian digital newsrooms in reporting and editing roles, including stints at Inshorts, Newslaundry, Tiranga TV, and Catch News. His newsroom experience spans rapid digital publishing, ground reporting, and copy editing across national, civic, and policy beats.
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His core areas of focus include:
US politics and governance: Coverage of American political developments, executive actions, and policy shifts.
US visa and immigration policy: Reporting and editing stories on visa categories, regulatory changes, and immigration pathways affecting global audiences.
Editorial accuracy and copy editing: Ensuring clarity, language precision, and verification in fast-paced digital news environments.
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Nischai's journalism is grounded in verified sources, official documentation, and clear attribution, in line with The Indian Express’ editorial standards. His background across reporting and editing enables him to translate complex policy updates into reliable, reader-friendly coverage. ... Read More
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The fear of El Mencho was such that the US State Department had been offering a $15 million award for information leading to his arrest. (Photo: US State Department) 
