Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho’, hailed from rural roots in the western state of Michoacan, He rose to the top of one of the most feared and dangerous cartels in modern Mexico, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was meteoric.
Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as ‘El Mencho’, had a lasting impact in the history of Mexican organised crime. Hailing from the rugged rural heartlands of Michoacan, he orchestrated one of the most brutal ascents in cartel history, transforming himself into the ruthless architect of the feared Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). And it was achieved through aggression, ambition, brutality and ruthlessness.
Mexican authorities confirmed that US intelligence played a decisive role in the operation that eliminated the kingpin - an example of cross-border coordination that could reshape security cooperation between Mexico and Washington.
For Mexico’s military, the removal of a cartel chief of El Mencho’s stature represents a strategic breakthrough. At least in theory, it weakens the powerful criminal empire he commanded.
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But on the streets, the cartel’s response has been immediate — and explosive.
Cars Burnt, Revenge Attacks In Mexico After 'El Mencho' Killed
Within hours, CJNG loyalists erected roadblocks and unleashed coordinated violence across at least eight states, stretching from Guerrero on the Pacific coast to Tamaulipas in the north-east. Even the capital, Mexico City, and the surrounding Mexico State were not spared.
In Jalisco, the cartel’s stronghold, masked gunmen torched shops in Guadalajara — one of the venues for this summer’s FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, in the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta, tourists and residents sheltered indoors as flames and fear gripped the streets.
The chaos is both a display of loyalty to their fallen leader and a furious rebuke of the authorities who brought him down.
History suggests that even a cartel boss as dominant as El Mencho is rarely irreplaceable. In the shadows, three or four ambitious lieutenants often stand ready to seize power.
Still, few deny that he was the driving force behind CJNG’s dominance.
Who was El Mencho? His life journey
El Mencho’s journey into the underworld began decades ago. After moving to the United States as an undocumented immigrant in the 1980s, he deepened his involvement in narcotics operations in California. Arrests followed. Prison time followed. Eventually, deportation followed.
Back in Mexico at age 30, he immersed himself in cartel operations, rising through the ranks of the Milenio Cartel in Michoacán. When that organisation splintered, he capitalised on the vacuum. From its remnants, CJNG was born — with El Mencho at the helm.
Through relentless territorial expansion and a shrewd pivot into lucrative criminal markets, he transformed CJNG into arguably the most powerful criminal syndicate in modern Mexico.
His ascent was further aided by the collapse of the Sinaloa Cartel following the extradition of its infamous leader, Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, to the United States. Subsequent infighting among Sinaloa factions tore the once-mighty cartel apart.
CJNG seized the moment, expanding its grip over the fentanyl trade after the dramatic fall of El Chapo’s sons. One of them, Joaquín Guzmán López, surrendered to US authorities and helped bring down his father’s longtime rival, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada.
El Mencho thrived in that power vacuum — but in Mexico’s brutal drug war, crowns rarely stay secure for long.
President Claudia Sheinbaum is expected to frame his elimination as a landmark achievement in Mexico’s fight against organised crime. The victory will likely be echoed in Washington, where President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured Mexico to intensify efforts against fentanyl trafficking.
The reported involvement of US intelligence underscores the Sheinbaum administration’s willingness to cooperate closely with the United States — potentially blunting calls from some Republican lawmakers for unilateral US military intervention, including drone strikes or boots on the ground in Mexican territory.
Net Worth
An exact estimate of the late drug lord's net worth is not known. However, in 2019 the DEA had indicated that it might exceed $1 billion. An archived Univision report indicates DEA agent Kyle Mori, who was engaged in capturing the elusive crime boss say “I would say he has at least $500 million and it could even exceed $1 billion.”
While this reflects his personal wealth, some estimates put CJNG's asset valuation at tens of billions of dollars. However, these are estimates, and given that the cartel engages in illegal businesses, an exact calculation is not possible.
