Mexican military forces killed El Mencho, the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most violent and dominant drug trafficking organizations. He was taken down in a shootout during a high-risk operation in the small town of Tapalpa, Jalisco. U.S. intelligence supported the raid. El Mencho had a $15 million U.S. bounty on his head and was considered Mexico’s most-wanted man for years.
Immediate aftermath: Widespread cartel retaliation
News of his death triggered a rapid, coordinated wave of violence across the country:
- Cartel gunmen set fire to vehicles, buses, businesses, and banks.
- They blocked highways with burning barricades.
- Clashes with security forces broke out.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has urged calm, praised the military, and said there is “absolute coordination” between federal and state authorities. Experts warn of a potential succession fight inside the CJNG that could spark even more violence.
The situation is still developing and fluid; check official sources if you have travel plans or connections there.