US Military Intel Helped Mexico Kill Its Most Wanted Drug Lord
Revised after bias review
A cartel leader's death triggers nationwide chaos
Mexican military forces killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," during an operation in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday. U.S. intelligence assisted in the operation, according to Mexican and U.S. officials. The 59-year-old died in custody from injuries sustained during the military clash.
His death immediately sparked violence across Mexico. Within hours, suspected CJNG members—the Jalisco New Generation Cartel that El Mencho founded and led—burned vehicles and blocked roads in parts of Jalisco and nearby areas. In Puerto Vallarta, a Pacific resort town popular with U.S. tourists, smoke rose above beachfront hotels. Air Canada and United Airlines canceled flights. The U.S. Embassy told Americans across five Mexican states to shelter in place.
How the U.S. got involved
The Trump administration had pressed Mexican officials to target cartel leaders. The U.S. State Department announced a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to El Mencho's arrest. When Mexico's military moved against him, American intelligence contributed to the operation.
According to Reuters and the Washington Post, an unnamed U.S. defense official said Mexico's military conducted the operation "from a joint U.S.-Mexico task force that regularly works" with Mexican forces through United States Northern Command, or NORTHCOM, which oversees American military operations in both nations. The Mexican Defense Ministry confirmed in an official statement that "within the framework of bilateral coordination and cooperation with the USA," American authorities provided information that assisted with the operation.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed via social media that U.S. intelligence had provided "support to the Mexican government" to assist in the operation. The Pentagon and NORTHCOM stated via email that they had "no information to provide" on the matter, referring inquiries to the Mexican government.
Why El Mencho mattered
El Mencho was Mexico's most wanted criminal. Since 2017, he had been indicted multiple times in the United States for drug trafficking. In April 2022, he was charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl for importation into the United States.
In a January 2025 indictment, the U.S. Justice Department called the CJNG "one of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations operating in Mexico," responsible for exporting tonnage quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and illicit opioids into the United States. Earlier Mexican raids netted rocket launchers capable of downing aircraft, highlighting CJNG's heavy weaponry.
The violent aftermath
El Mencho's death triggered immediate retaliation. In Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco and a host city for the 2026 World Cup, gunfire was reported. Armed men suspected of being CJNG members also set a gas station ablaze. Mexican soccer matches were postponed. According to NPR, school was canceled in several Mexican states following the operation. All taxis and ride-shares were suspended in Puerto Vallarta.
The U.S. Embassy reported that roadblocks had impacted airline operations, with domestic and international flights canceled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Some businesses suspended operations entirely. In Puerto Vallarta, temporary roadblocks and flight cancellations disrupted travel for American tourists.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged residents to remain calm, noting that "in most parts of the country, activities are proceeding normally" and there were no immediate reports of civilian casualties. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called El Mencho's death "a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world."
What comes next
El Mencho's death may create a power vacuum within the CJNG. Analysts warn this could raise the risk of internal splits and renewed violence, though outcomes remain uncertain. Some security analysts have expressed concerns about potential escalations in violence as factions compete for control of the cartel.