Ogona Anita
Violence erupted in parts of the western state of Jalisco in Mexico following the killing of notorious drug lord, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho”.
Ewreporters had reported earlier that El Mencho, Mexico’s most wanted fugitive and the leader of one of the country’s most powerful criminal organizations, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed on Sunday.
The Mexican government said that seven members of Oseguera’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) were killed in the raid in Tapalpa on Sunday, February 22, 2026. Reports of road blocking and violence by drug cartels emerged in Jalisco and other states after news of the operation became public.
“At this time, elements of the Mexican National Guard and Mexican Army troops from the centre of the country and states neighbouring Jalisco are mobilising to reinforce the security of this state,” the Defence Secretariat said in a statement.
“With these actions, the Secretariat of National Defence reaffirms its commitment to contributing to the strengthening of Mexico’s security.”
In the hours following the reported killing of El Mencho, violence erupted in parts of the western state of Jalisco.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show passengers running from Guadalajara International Airport amid reports that armed individuals linked to the cartel had entered the facility. Officials have not yet confirmed the full circumstances of the airport incident.
Local outlets reported that suspected cartel members launched retaliatory actions after news of their leader’s death spread. Throughout Sunday, there were accounts of vehicles being set on fire, roadblocks being erected, and gunmen sighted in various parts of Jalisco and neighboring areas.
Security forces were deployed across affected zones in an effort to restore order. Residents were urged to remain indoors and avoid travel while authorities worked to contain the unrest
Meanwhile, Newsone reports that El Mencho, the leader of the powerful CJNG, one of Mexico’s most violent and dominant criminal organisations, spent decades evading justice before he was killed on Sunday.
The CJNG has long been considered one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent criminal groups, involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and armed confrontations with both rival organisations and state forces. The reported death of its leader marks a potentially significant development in Mexico’s ongoing struggle against organised crime, though analysts warn that such operations can sometimes trigger short-term surges in violence.
Mexican Authorities are expected to provide further details as the situation develops.
