With widespread violence and chaos following the death of cartel leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes "El Mencho" on Sunday, U.S. citizens in Mexico are being urged to shelter in place.
Cervantes was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC). He and several others were killed by Mexican authorities in an operation in Jalisco on Sunday. NBC News reported that cartel members responded to his death by unleashing a wave of violence throughout the country.
At one point, cartel members had created more than 250 roadblocks in 20 of Mexico's 31 states using vehicles they had torched in the street, NBC News reported. Mexican authorities say most of them have been cleared.
The U.S. Mexican Embassy warned U.S. citizens in Mexico to shelter in place and avoid traveling.
"Due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in a number of locations in Mexico are urged to shelter in place," the embassy alert stated.
"While no airports have been closed, roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with most domestic and international flights cancelled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. All ride shares are suspended in Puerto Vallarta. Some businesses have suspended operations," the alert stated.
NBC News reported that Cervantes, 59, was initially wounded in the assault and died while being flown to get medical attention. The network noted that Jalisco is the main base of operations for JNGC and that the cartel is known for fentanyl trafficking.
"President Trump has been very clear — the United States will ensure narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs to our homeland are forced to face the wrath of justice they have long deserved," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to NBC News.
Oseguera Cervantes rose from local criminal networks into the top tier of Mexico's underworld, becoming the face of CJNG's rapid expansion. CJNG emerged after fractures in earlier organizations, and over time built a reputation for combining sophisticated trafficking with aggressive territorial violence, as well as diversification into other illicit businesses.
U.S. authorities had pursued him for years. The State Department publicly identified him as a major target in late 2024 when it increased the reward offer to $15 million under the Narcotics Rewards Program. U.S. agencies have also described CJNG as a leading driver of synthetic drug flows, including fentanyl, into the United States.
According to In Sight Crime, CJNG is not just a cartel, it has been described by U.S. officials and researchers as a network that grew by absorbing or partnering with existing criminal cells in multiple regions, which is one reason "decapitation" events can trigger unpredictable splintering. What changes now depend less on symbolism than on succession, cohesion, and whether CJNG's regional commanders stay aligned.
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