El Mencho Dead: Mexico Kills Most-Wanted Cartel Boss, Igniting Chaos Across Multiple States — Flights to Portland and Beyond Canceled
Mexico's most-wanted drug lord, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes — universally feared as "El Mencho" — was killed by the Mexican military on Sunday, February 22, 2026, in a historic operation in the state of Jalisco that decapitated the most powerful cartel in Mexico and sent shockwaves from Puerto Vallarta to Portland, Oregon. The death of the 59-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) triggered an immediate wave of retaliatory violence across nearly a dozen Mexican states, grounding flights, stranding tourists, and prompting U.S. and Canadian governments to issue shelter-in-place warnings.
How El Mencho Was Killed
Mexican army special forces carried out the operation in the mountain town of Tapalpa, Jalisco — approximately two hours southwest of Guadalajara. During the operation, CJNG members attacked the troops. Forces returned fire, killing four cartel members at the scene. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes was wounded and was being transported via aircraft to Mexico City when he died. Three cartel members total died during transfer. Two others were arrested. The military also seized armored vehicles, rocket launchers, and other weapons. Three members of the armed forces were wounded.
Mexico's Defense Secretariat confirmed the operation was carried out with "complementary intelligence" provided by U.S. authorities. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the U.S. "provided intelligence support" and said the operation brought the "wrath of justice" Oseguera long deserved.
Who Was El Mencho — Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes?
| Key Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes |
| Age at Death | 59 |
| Alias | "El Mencho" |
| Organization | Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) |
| Cartel Founded | 2009 |
| U.S. Bounty | $15 million USD |
| U.S. Charges | Drug trafficking conspiracy (meth, cocaine, fentanyl), weapons offenses |
| Background | Former police officer and avocado farmer |
| U.S. Designation | Foreign Terrorist Organization |
El Mencho co-founded the CJNG around 2007–2009, building it into what the FBI and DEA consider Mexico's most powerful trafficking organization — responsible for the bulk of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl entering the United States. He was considered the biggest Mexican drug lord still free following the captures of El Chapo Guzmán and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, who are both in U.S. custody.
Violent Cartel Retaliation: Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara in Chaos
Within hours of the military operation, suspected CJNG members unleashed coordinated retaliatory violence across Mexico. Armed groups torched vehicles, blocked highways with burning buses and trucks, and clashed with security forces across at least eight states including Jalisco, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Colima, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, Querétaro, and Zacatecas.
Guadalajara — Jalisco's capital city and a scheduled FIFA World Cup 2026 host — was turned into a ghost town Sunday night. Smoke billowed over Puerto Vallarta as burning vehicles choked roads near the popular tourist resort. Videos circulated widely showing panicked passengers running through the Guadalajara airport. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus declared a Code Red for the state, suspended public transportation, and urged all residents to stay home. The Code Red extends into Monday, February 23, with schools and public transit remaining closed in Jalisco.
Mexico News: Flights to Portland and Major U.S. Cities Canceled
The chaos immediately disrupted air travel on both sides of the border. At Portland International Airport (PDX), two incoming flights from Mexico were canceled Sunday: Alaska Airlines Flight 1445 from Puerto Vallarta, scheduled to arrive at 8:10 PM ET, and Volaris Flight 1870 from Guadalajara, scheduled to arrive at 8:55 PM ET. A Volaris departure from Portland to Guadalajara at 11:18 PM was also canceled. Flights between Portland and Mexico remain on schedule for Monday, February 23, but the situation is fluid.
Airline Travel Waivers and Cancellations: What Travelers Need to Know
| Airline | Action |
|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | Cancellations, flexible rebooking policy in effect |
| United Airlines | Canceled all Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara flights |
| American Airlines | Suspended all Sunday service to Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Mazatlán |
| Delta Air Lines | Travel advisory through February 26; change fees waived |
| Southwest Airlines | Canceled all 8 Puerto Vallarta flights (4 in, 4 out) on February 22 |
| Air Canada | Suspended all Puerto Vallarta operations; Feb. 23 flights canceled |
| WestJet | Diverted 7 in-flight aircraft; canceled 24 additional flights; waiver through Feb. 25 |
| Volaris | Directing affected passengers to WhatsApp customer service |
U.S. State Department Shelter-in-Place Warning for Mexico
The U.S. State Department expanded its shelter-in-place warnings to cover a wide geographic area. American citizens in the following regions are being urged to stay indoors, avoid law enforcement activity, minimize movement, and monitor local media:
Jalisco (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Baja California (including Tijuana, Tecate, and Ensenada), Quintana Roo (including Cancún, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum), and portions of Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. The State Department already had a Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" advisory in place for Mexico since August 2025. Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisories remain in effect for Colima, Guerrero, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas.
FIFA World Cup 2026 and Guadalajara's Role
The violence lands at a particularly sensitive moment for Guadalajara, which is scheduled to host four matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup later this summer. The city's ability to provide a safe environment for international fans is now under intense scrutiny. Mexico City's Benito Juárez International Airport, and airports in Cancún and other states not directly affected, are operating normally.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm, credited the armed forces, and said coordination between federal and state governments remains "absolute." By Sunday evening, the Defense Secretariat reported that 17 of 21 narco-blockades across Jalisco had been cleared.
