‘Greater calm’ after violence erupted over killing of drug lord ‘El Mencho,’ Mexico’s president says

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that Mexico is experiencing a “greater calm” following the violent aftermath of the death of notorious drug lord “El Mencho.” Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed in a Mexican authorities-led operation in Jalisco on Sunday.

The killing of Oseguera Cervantes sparked widespread cartel-organized violence, with reports of vehicles being set on fire, road blockages, and attacks on gas stations and businesses. However, Sheinbaum assured the public during a press briefing that peace, security, and normalcy have been restored across the country.

Oseguera Cervantes was a top criminal wanted in both Mexico and the United States. He was a major trafficker of fentanyl into the U.S., leading to the designation of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by former President Donald Trump.

During the operation to arrest him, Oseguera Cervantes’s security detail engaged in a violent confrontation with Mexican forces, resulting in his death along with two bodyguards. Mexican special forces pursued him, eventually injuring him before he succumbed to his injuries during a helicopter evacuation.

In total, 25 members of the Mexican National Guard and 30 cartel members were killed in Jalisco, with an additional four cartel members killed in Michoacan. Among the casualties was a key associate of El Mencho responsible for coordinating violent activities in Jalisco.

Mexican officials reported the detention of 70 cartel members across seven states. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a security alert advising Americans in the country to shelter in place due to ongoing security operations and related criminal activities.

While airports remained open, roadblocks impacted airline operations, leading to the cancellation of domestic and international flights in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Ride-sharing services were suspended in Puerto Vallarta, and some businesses halted operations in response to the security situation.

The aftermath of El Mencho’s death has highlighted the ongoing challenges of combating organized crime in Mexico and the importance of international cooperation in addressing the root causes of drug trafficking and violence in the region.