
The death of Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes, the shadowy architect behind the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), marks a dramatic turning point in Mexico's long and violent struggle against organised crime.
El Mencho, once a low‑level police officer who rose to command one of the most feared criminal organisations in the world, was killed on 22 February 2026 during a Mexican military operation in Tapalpa, in the western state of Jalisco.