Violence Erupts Across Mexico After Drug Cartel Leader ‘El Mencho’ Killed

The death of notorious drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as 'El Mencho,' in a military operation has triggered widespread violence across Mexico. Suspected cartel members have blocked major highways, torched vehicles and businesses, and forced flight cancellations to popular tourist destinations.

The death of one of Mexico’s most wanted drug kingpins has unleashed a wave of retaliatory violence that spread across multiple states on Sunday, forcing tourists to shelter indoors and airlines to cancel flights.

Nemesio Oseguera, the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel known by his alias ‘El Mencho,’ was killed during a military operation in the town of Tapalpa. Within hours, suspected cartel supporters began setting fire to vehicles and businesses while establishing roadblocks on major highways throughout the region.

The chaos reached the popular beach resort of Puerto Vallarta, where visitors watched in shock as smoke clouds filled the sky above the normally peaceful destination. Major carriers including Air Canada, United Airlines, and Aeromexico scrapped their scheduled flights to the tourist hotspot as the situation deteriorated.

Local authorities in several towns issued warnings for residents and visitors to remain inside their homes and hotels, while transportation companies advised truck drivers to seek safe routes or return to their facilities until the unrest subsided.

A member of Oseguera’s criminal organization, speaking anonymously to Reuters, confirmed the attacks were launched as payback for their leader’s death. The source also issued an ominous warning about additional violence to come.

“The attacks were carried out in revenge for the leader’s death, at first against the government and out of discontent,” the cartel member explained. “But later the internal killings are coming, by the groups moving in to take over.”

The widespread disorder represents a troubling but familiar pattern for Mexico, where decades of government campaigns against drug trafficking organizations have repeatedly resulted in devastating cycles of violence across large portions of the country.

In Puerto Vallarta, located about five hours from where the military strike occurred, beachgoers used their mobile phones to record the disturbing scenes of thick smoke obscuring their ocean views.

Daniel Drolet, a Canadian visitor who has spent multiple winters in Puerto Vallarta, expressed alarm about what this could mean for the traditionally peaceful resort area. “I have never seen anything like this before,” he stated during a telephone conversation.

The state of Jalisco saw gunmen launch an assault on a National Guard facility, prompting officials to advise hotel guests to stay inside and halt public transportation services.

Government security officials shared additional footage showing the scope of the crisis: military tanks rolling through residential areas in Aguascalientes state, roadblocks shutting down the heavily traveled Mexico-Puebla highway, and armed cartel members in pickup trucks blocking roads in Colima state.

A trucking industry organization released a statement expressing deep concern about the highway violence and urged drivers to stick to secure areas or head back to their home bases until conditions stabilized.

Guanajuato state, considered a stronghold of the Jalisco cartel, documented 55 separate incidents spanning 23 municipalities, resulting in 18 arrests. Officials reported that all situations were brought under control by evening.

Carlo Gutierrez, a resident of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, described how people were using WhatsApp messaging groups to encourage others to stay home. “There is fear and a lot of caution,” he said about the city, which is scheduled to host World Cup soccer matches this summer.

Beyond the cartel members and officials killed during the initial military operation, authorities have not reported additional casualties from the subsequent violence.

This pattern of retaliation following major cartel arrests or killings has become a recurring concern for Mexican officials, often causing them to reconsider launching significant operations against criminal organizations.

Similar incidents occurred in 2019 when Ovidio Guzman, son of imprisoned Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, was captured but quickly released after widespread gun battles erupted. His eventual arrest in 2023 also triggered more violence.

The 2024 capture of Sinaloa Cartel chief Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada sparked an ongoing power struggle within that criminal organization that has continued for more than a year.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who previously served as ambassador to Mexico, shared his reaction on social media. “I’m watching the scenes of violence from Mexico with great sadness and concern,” he wrote. “It’s not surprising that the bad guys are responding with terror. But we must never lose our nerve.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the violence through her own social media post, attempting to project calm amid the chaos. “In most of the national territory activities are happening with absolute normalcy,” she stated.