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The murder of Mexico's most feared boss, what awaits the drug cartel that El Mencho led?

2026-02-23 19:16:39Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The murder of Mexico's most feared boss, what awaits the drug cartel that
Chaos after the killing of El Mencho

The killing of one of the world's most powerful drug lords has shaken Mexico and global organized crime networks. But the key question remains: Will this blow destroy the organization he built, or only push it towards an even more violent phase?

Mexican security forces confirmed they had killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Immediately after the operation, the city of Guadalajara, the third largest in the country and capital of the state of Jalisco, was engulfed in chaos: Armed gangs burned shops and banks, blocked highways and spread violence to tourist towns and resorts across Mexico.

Will the cartel survive?

The cartel's future depends on how quickly it can name a successor and maintain unity. Otherwise, the risk is fragmentation and an internal struggle for power. Analysts warn that such a conflict could bring a new wave of violence across the country.

Meanwhile, the Mexican government faces a dual challenge: the fight against the CJNG and the bloody battle with the Sinaloa Cartel, the historical enemy of the Jalisco cartel.

The CJNG has become a global criminal empire. In addition to trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine to the United States and as far as Australia, it is involved in avocado farming, smuggling immigrants, including from China, and illegal gold mining in South America.

“This is the most significant blow to drug trafficking in Mexico since its existence,” said Eduardo Guerrero, a former security official and cartel expert. “No other organization has had the territorial control and political penetration of the CJNG.”

The legacy of violence

However, few believe this is the end of the cartel. Oseguera Cervantes' organization was born from the ruins of the Milenio Cartel, which disintegrated after the arrests and killings of its leaders. By 2009, "El Mencho" emerged victorious from the internal wars and created the CJNG.

Several of his brothers have been arrested, as has his son, a top commander extradited to the US in 2020. Although his widow, Rosalinda González Valencia, is considered an important financial figure, experts doubt she could take over.

The most likely scenario is for one of the four top commanders to take over – if they can agree. Otherwise, a fight over succession would be inevitable.

The murder of Mexico's most feared boss, what awaits the drug cartel that

Consequences for Mexico and the world

Analysts say the weakening of the cartels is good news for Washington, but not necessarily for Mexico. Smaller cartels often mean more violence, more killings and local chaos.

“El Mencho” turned the CJNG into one of the most brutal organizations in the country, known for beheadings, dismembering bodies and publicly displaying victims. The cartel became one of the largest cocaine traffickers and a major producer of methamphetamine, staying out of the fentanyl market for a while – although US officials say there have been recent signs of it entering that deadly market as well.

Political challenge for the government

The killing of “El Mencho” comes at a critical moment for President Claudia Sheinbaum, who could face one of the most violent chapters in Mexico’s recent history. Her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, pursued a “hugs, not bullets” strategy that failed to curb the violence.

The current government appears to have split its fronts: Security Minister Omar García Harfuch is leading the battle against the Sinaloa Cartel, while the military carried out the operation that killed Oseguera Cervantes. Analysts warn that the lack of coordination between forces could undermine long-term efforts to dismantle the cartels.

While capturing or eliminating big bosses attracts attention, experts emphasize that hitting the middle chain of command and financial networks is essential for the real destruction of these organizations.

History shows that, despite the killing or arrest of many drug lords in recent decades, global drug use continues to grow. According to the UN, an estimated 25 million people used cocaine in 2023 – a significant increase from a decade ago.


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