Mexico's most wanted drug lord 'El Mencho' killed in military operation, violence erupts across country

The operation triggered a wave of violence across the country.

Mexican officials said on Sunday that drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, popularly known as 'El Mencho', has been killed in a military raid. The country's government has been increasing pressure on cartels after US intervention threats.

Defense ministry of Mexico ⁠said a shootout in Jalisco left Oseguera seriously injured and ‌he died during an air transfer to ​Mexico City. They noted that authorities from the US had provided "complementary information."

The operation stirred a wave of violence, as highways were blocked in over half a dozen regions, with torched cars and gunmen.

The Indian Embassy in Mexico issued an advisory, amid the heightened security, stating citizens to minimise movements and follow protocols. In a post on X, they wrote, "There are ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, Indian nationals in Jalisco State (areas of Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (areas of Reynosa and other municipalities), areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State should shelter in place until further notice."

"Avoid areas around law enforcement activity. Be aware of your surroundings. Seek shelter and minimize unnecessary movements outside your shelter. Monitor local media for updates. Follow the directions of local authorities and in case of emergency, call 911. Avoid crowds. Keep family and friends advised of your location and well-being via phone, text, and social media," the embassy advised.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said Oseguera's killing was a "great development" for the US and Mexico, as well as the rest ⁠of Latin America.

An ex-police officer, the drug lord was the shadowy leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), an outfit named for the western state that is home to one of Mexico's biggest ​cities, Guadalajara.

Over a short period ⁠of time, the CJNG morphed into an international criminal enterprise rivaling former allies in the Sinaloa Cartel, the gang of captured kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, now in a US prison.

The military operation against Oseguera follows a pressure campaign from the Trump administration on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's government to ramp up its crackdown on ⁠drug trafficking, including US ‌threats to intervene directly in Mexico.

"The operation for his arrest was led by the Defense ministry, and he ended up being killed," a government source familiar with the operation told ‌Reuters.

The kingpin's killing notches a major win for Mexico's war on drug cartels that are responsible for smuggling billions of dollars in cocaine and fentanyl ‌into the US, as it is also expected to unleash a wave of violence across Mexico.

“A ‌tremendous amount of violence is going to happen," said Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on international organized crime.

She ‌compared Oseguera to other key drug figures taken down in recent years, Guzman and Ismael "El Mayo" ‌Zambada, both of the rival Sinaloa cartel.

"Apart from the heads of the Sinaloa cartel, El Mencho has been the biggest prize for many, many years."

Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro urged residents to stay home until the situation was brought under control, and the US ⁠embassy advised its ⁠citizens to shelter in place.

Videos and posts on social media showed cars in flames, sending dark smoke into the sky, on roads in Jalisco. Media outlets in Mexico reported burning vehicles and gunmen blocking highways in more than half a dozen states across the country, particularly in the north and west.

(with agency inputs)