A high-stakes takedown in Mexico’s Jalisco state has US officials taking credit for providing crucial intelligence that led to the demise of El Mencho, the fearsome head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt made the revelation on social media, confirming America’s behind-the-scenes support in the Tepaltepec operation.
El Mencho, whose real name is Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, was public enemy number one, responsible for massive fentanyl shipments into the United States. President Trump’s labeling of CJNG as a terrorist group last year amplified the hunt. Leavitt noted the raid’s toll: three cartel gunmen killed, three wounded, and two captured alongside their leader.
Mexican forces deserve commendation, Leavitt added, for carrying out the precise strike. The news has sparked widespread violence, with CJNG loyalists retaliating in Tamaulipas, Michoacan, and Nayarit through barricades, arson, and shootouts.
President Claudia Sheinbaum responded by appealing for peace, stressing unified government efforts to maintain order. Echoing the sentiment, Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau called it a game-changer for Latin America.
Years of cross-border intelligence sharing culminated in this blow to organized crime. Yet, as rival factions eye CJNG’s turf, experts warn of escalating bloodshed. The US continues to prioritize disrupting fentanyl pipelines, with this victory serving as a stark reminder of the ongoing drug war’s ferocity.