Buildings and vehicles were set ablaze across Mexico’s Guadalajara after the army killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), in a security operation on Sunday.
Authorities said Oseguera was wounded during an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, and later died while being flown to Mexico City for treatment. Four people were killed during the raid and two others were arrested. Security forces reportedly seized armoured vehicles, rocket launchers and other weapons.
Widespread arson and road blockades
Following news of his death, cartel members set fire to vehicles and blocked roads in nearly a dozen states, a tactic often used to disrupt military operations. Smoke billowed over Guadalajara and the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta, while violence spread to neighbouring Michoacán.
Residents stayed indoors as gunfire was reported in public areas. Schools were closed in Jalisco’s capital, and public transport was suspended. Petrol pumps, pharmacies, stores and supermarkets were among the properties torched.
Visuals showed passengers taking cover at Guadalajara airport as armed individuals entered the premises. Heavy machinery was also used to dig up roads in some areas.
National and international implications
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged citizens to remain calm, stating that federal and state authorities were coordinating security efforts. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus described the situation as “critical hours” for the state.
The US State Department had previously offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Oseguera’s arrest. The cartel, known for trafficking fentanyl and other drugs into the United States, was designated a foreign terrorist organisation earlier this year by the Trump administration.
The CJNG is regarded as one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organisations, rivalled only by the Sinaloa cartel. The fallout from the operation has raised concerns over further retaliatory violence as investigations continue.