U.S. Confirms Role in Killing Cartel Leader 'El Mencho' Operation
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt announced the outcome in a statement posted to X, saying: "The United States provided intelligence support to the Mexican government in order to assist with an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, in which Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes, an infamous drug lord and leader within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was eliminated."
Leavitt described the slain cartel chief as a "top target" for both nations, citing his role as one of the primary suppliers of fentanyl flowing into the United States. She further noted that President Donald Trump had formally designated the CJNG a foreign terrorist organization the previous year.
The operation yielded additional results beyond the killing of El Mencho. "In this operation, three additional cartel members were killed, three were wounded, and two were arrested," Leavitt said, also praising the Mexican military for its cooperation and execution of the mission.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, a former ambassador to Mexico, was swift to endorse the outcome, describing it as a "great development" for Mexico, the United States, and the broader Latin American region.
The news, however, ignited an immediate wave of violence across several Mexican states. Armed clashes, burning vehicles, and road blockades erupted in CJNG strongholds including Tamaulipas, Michoacán, and Nayarit — a stark signal of the cartel's reach even amid the loss of its top leader.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum moved quickly to urge restraint, seeking to contain the unrest rippling through affected regions. "There is absolute coordination with the governments of all states; we must remain informed and calm," Sheinbaum said.
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