Mexico is on high alert after cartel gunmen launched a wave of retaliatory attacks following the death of notorious drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as 'El Mencho', in a federal raid. The operation in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday left the 59-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) fatally wounded, along with six of his accomplices, according to officials.
Since the raid, retaliatory attacks have killed 25 National Guard members and one security guard, Mexico's security minister Omar García Harfuch said. He added that 30 cartel operatives and one bystander were also killed. The defence minister, Ricardo Trevilla, revealed that information leading to the operation came from a romantic partner of El Mencho.
In response, cartel foot soldiers blocked roads by torching cars and buses, leading to school closures and stranded international travellers in western Mexico. Several foreign governments issued travel warnings. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm, and authorities said all of the more than 250 cartel roadblocks across 20 states had been cleared.
The violence has raised concerns of further instability. David Mora, Mexico analyst for the International Crisis Group, warned of a likely spike in bloodshed. 'El Mencho was a very powerful figure who ran a very centralised organisation. There is no clear direct heir or successor,' he said, noting potential internal power struggles and turf wars with rival cartels.
In Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination, authorities advised residents to stay indoors as videos showed cars and buildings ablaze. In Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city and a 2026 World Cup host, streets were empty. More than 1,000 people sheltered overnight at Guadalajara's zoo to avoid the chaos. The government reassured the public that airports in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Tepic were operating normally, despite some flight diversions.
The White House confirmed US intelligence support for the raid. Donald Trump has recently threatened direct military action against cartels. Mora suggested the operation was a message from President Sheinbaum to Trump, showing Mexico's capability to handle cartels independently: 'This is the Mexican government telling the White House: Look, our strategy is working.'
