{"id":12858454,"date":"2026-02-25T23:57:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T04:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/?p=12858454"},"modified":"2026-02-26T00:00:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T05:00:50","slug":"violent-aftermath-of-mexicos-el-mencho-killing-follows-pattern-of-other-high%e2%80%91profile-cartel-hits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/2026\/02\/25\/violent-aftermath-of-mexicos-el-mencho-killing-follows-pattern-of-other-high%e2%80%91profile-cartel-hits\/","title":{"rendered":"Violent aftermath of Mexico\u2019s \u2018El Mencho\u2019 killing follows pattern of other high\u2011profile cartel\u00a0hits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Violent aftermath of Mexico\u2019s \u2018El Mencho\u2019 killing follows pattern of other high\u2011profile cartel hits<\/h2>\n
By Ang\u00e9lica Dur\u00e1n-Mart\u00ednez<\/a>, UMass Lowell<\/a><\/em><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
\n

The death of a major cartel boss in Mexico<\/a> has unleashed a violent backlash<\/a> in which members of the criminal group have paralyzed some cities through blockades and attacks on property and security forces.<\/p>\n

At least 73 people have died<\/a> as a result of the operation to capture Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or \u201cEl Mencho.\u201d The head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was seriously wounded during a firefight with authorities on Feb. 22, 2026. He later died in custody<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As an expert in criminal groups and drug trafficking<\/a> in Latin America who has been studying Mexico\u2019s cartels for two decades, I see the violent aftermath of the operation as part of a pattern in which Mexican governments have opted for high-profile hits that often lead only to more violence<\/a> without addressing the broader security problems that plague huge swaths of the country.<\/p>\n

Who was \u2018El Mencho\u2019?<\/h2>\n

Like many other figures involved in Mexico\u2019s drug trafficking, Oseguera Cervantes started at the bottom and made his way up the ranks. He spent some time in prison in the U.S., where he may have forged alliances with criminal gangs before being deported back to Mexico in 1997<\/a>. There, he connected with the Milenio Cartel, an organization that first allied, and then fought with, the powerful Sinaloa Cartel.<\/p>\n

\"A
A wanted poster for \u2018El Mencho.\u2019<\/span> United States Department of State\/Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Most of the information available points to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel forming under El Mencho around 2010, following the killing of Ignacio \u201cNacho\u201d Coronel Villarreal<\/a>, a Sinaloa Cartel leader and main link with the Milenio Cartel.<\/p>\n

Since 2015, Jalisco New Generation Cartel has been known for its blatant attacks against security forces in Mexico \u2013 such as gunning down a helicopter in that year. And it has expanded its presence both across Mexico and internationally.<\/p>\n

In Mexico, it is said to have a presence in all states. In some, the cartel has a direct presence and very strong local networks. In others, it has cultivated alliances with other trafficking organizations.<\/p>\n

Besides drug trafficking, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel<\/a> is also engaged in oil theft, people smuggling and extortion. As a result, it has become one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico.<\/p>\n

What impact will his death have on the cartel?<\/h2>\n

There are a few potential scenarios, and a lot will depend on what succession plans Jalisco New Generation had in the event of Oseguera Cervantes\u2019 capture or killing.<\/p>\n

In general, these types of operations \u2013 in which security forces take out a cartel leader \u2013 lead to more violence, for a variety of reasons.<\/p>\n

Mexicans have already experienced the immediate aftermath of Oseguera Cervantes\u2019 death: retaliation attacks, blockades and official attempts to prevent civilians from going out. This is similar to what occurred after the capture of drug lord Ovidio Guzm\u00e1n L\u00f3pez in Sinaloa<\/a> in 2019 and his second capture in 2023.<\/p>\n

Violence flares in two ways following such high-profile captures and killings of cartel leaders.<\/p>\n

In the short term, there is retaliation. At the moment, members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel are seeking revenge against Mexico\u2019s security forces and are also trying to assert their regional authority despite El Mencho\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

These retaliatory campaigns tend to be violent and flashy. They include blockades as well as attacks against security forces and civilians.<\/p>\n

Then there is the longer-term violence associated with any succession. This can take the form of those who are below Oseguera Cervantes in rank fighting for control. But it can also result from rival groups trying to take advantage of any leadership vacuum.<\/p>\n

The level and duration of violence depend on a few factors, such as whether there was a succession plan and what kind of alliances are in place with other cartels. But generally, operations in which a cartel boss is removed lead to more violence and fragmentation of criminal groups.<\/p>\n

Of course, people like Oseguera Cervantes who have violated laws and engaged in violence need to be captured. But in the long run, that doesn\u2019t do anything to dismantle networks of criminality or reduce the size of their operations.<\/p>\n

What is the current state of security in Mexico?<\/h2>\n

The upsurge in violence after Oseguera Cervantes\u2019 killing occurs as some indicators in Mexico\u2019s security situation seemed to be improving.<\/p>\n

For example, homicide rates declined in 2025<\/a> \u2013 which is an important indicator of security.<\/p>\n

But other measures are appalling. Disappearances are still unsettlingly high<\/a>. The reality that many Mexicans experience on the ground is one where criminal organizations remain powerful and embedded in the local ecosystems that connect state agents, politicians and criminals in complex networks.<\/p>\n

Criminal organizations are engaged in what we academics call \u201ccriminal governance<\/a>.\u201d They engage in a wide range of activities and regulate life in communities \u2013 sometimes coercively, but sometimes also with some degree of legitimacy from the population.<\/p>\n

In some states like Sinaloa, despite the operations to take out cartel\u2019s leaders, the illicit economies are still extensive and profitable. But what\u2019s more important is that levels of violence remain high and the population is still suffering deeply.<\/p>\n

The day-to-day reality for people in some of these regions is still one of fear.<\/p>\n

And in the greater scheme of things, criminal networks are still very powerful \u2013 they are embedded in the country\u2019s economy and politics, and connect to communities in complex ways.<\/p>\n

How does the El Mencho operation fit Mexico\u2019s strategy on cartels?<\/h2>\n

The past two governments vowed to reduce the militarization of security forces. But the power of the military in Mexico has actually expanded<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The government of President Claudia Sheinbaum wanted a big, visible hit<\/a> at a time when the U.S. is pushing for more militarized policies to counter Mexico\u2019s trafficking organizations.<\/p>\n

But this dynamic is not new. Most U.S. and Mexican policy regarding drug trafficking organizations has historically emphasized these high-profile captures \u2013 even if it is just for short-term gains.<\/p>\n

\"A
Violence has flared in Mexico\u2019s Jalisco state since the death of Nemesio \u2018El Mencho\u2019 Oseguera Cervantes.<\/span> Arturo Montero\/AFP via Getty Images<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s easier to say \u201cwe captured a drug lord\u201d than address broader issues of corruption or impunity. Most of the time when these cartel leaders are captured or killed, there is generally no broader justice. It isn\u2019t accompanied with authorities investigating disappearances, murders, corruption or even necessarily halting the flow of drugs.<\/p>\n

Captures and killings of cartel leaders serve a strategic purpose of showing that something is being done, but the effectiveness of such policies in the long run is very limited.<\/p>\n

Of course, taking out a drug lord is not a bad thing. But if it does not come with a broader dismantling of criminal networks and an accompanying focus on justice, then the main crimes that these groups commit \u2013 homicides, disappearances and extortion \u2013 will continue to affect the daily life of people. And the effect on illicit flows is, at best, meager.\"The<\/p>\n

Ang\u00e9lica Dur\u00e1n-Mart\u00ednez<\/a>, Associate Professor of Political Science, UMass Lowell<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Violent aftermath of Mexico\u2019s \u2018El Mencho\u2019 killing follows pattern of other high\u2011profile cartel hits By Ang\u00e9lica Dur\u00e1n-Mart\u00ednez, UMass Lowell \u00a0 The death of a major cartel boss in Mexico has unleashed a violent backlash in which members of the criminal group have paralyzed some cities through blockades and attacks on property and security forces. At […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":183,"featured_media":12858455,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26922,21,1,12,25391],"tags":[371],"class_list":{"0":"post-12858454","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-market-news","8":"category-available","9":"category-uncategorized","10":"category-phils-favorites","11":"category-members-corner","12":"tag-politics"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12858454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/183"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12858454"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12858454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12858456,"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12858454\/revisions\/12858456"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12858455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12858454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12858454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philstockworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12858454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}