US confirms providing 'intelligence' to kill drug lord 'El Mencho'
What's the story
The White House has confirmed that the United States provided intelligence support to Mexico for an operation that killed drug lord Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes. The operation was carried out in Tapalpa, Jalisco, and was led by Mexican Special Forces. The raid also resulted in the deaths of three other cartel members, injuries to three more, and the arrest of two others.
Target profile
'Top trafficker of fentanyl'
In a post on X, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that "El Mencho was a top target for the Mexican and United States government." She also noted that President Donald Trump had designated Mencho's Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization last year. "President Trump has been very clear: the United States will ensure narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs to our homeland are forced to face the wrath of justice they have long deserved," she added.
Aftermath
Violence erupts across Mexico post drug lord's death
The operation's aftermath saw a wave of violence across Mexico, with CJNG members setting vehicles on fire and blocking roads in more than half a dozen states. In Jalisco and Guadalajara, areas were filled with smoke as residents stayed indoors. Schools were canceled in several regions, and airlines suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta amid the unrest. Roadblocks made from burning cars, buses and trucks could be seen across at several Mexican states, including Jalisco, Guanajuato, Colima, Guerrero, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.
Intelligence contribution
$15M bounty on his head
The United States had offered a $15 million (£11 million) reward for the capture of El Mencho, who was accused of smuggling large amounts of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine across its southern border. El Mencho's cartel, created roughly 16 years ago and now Mexico's most powerful crime syndicate, was also accused of attempting to assassinate Mexican government officials. Mencho's execution comes after months of pressure from Trump about the surge of drugs and migrants across the two countries' 3,145km border.
Details
Exact circumstances of Mencho's killing unclear
The exact circumstances of Mencho's killing, described as the heaviest blow to Mexico's cartels in almost a decade, remained unclear on Sunday. The defense ministry said special forces personnel from the army and national guard initiated an operation in Tapalpa, a town approximately 80 miles south-west of Jalisco state's capital, Guadalajara, to capture the fugitive drug boss, with backing from the air force and military intelligence.