Death of Mencho Prompts U.S. Security Alert and a Boost for Mexico’s Strategy
On Feb. 23, 2026, the U. S. State Department issued a security alert for Americans in Mexico after an operation ended with the death of mencho, the leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, a development U. S. and Mexican officials say has immediate diplomatic and security consequences.
Mencho killed in a Jalisco sierra operation
Mexican authorities carried out the operation in the sierra of the State of Jalisco that concluded with the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho; U. S. intelligence provided support for the operation, and the outcome marks the fall of the cartel’s undisputed leader.
U. S. intelligence support and a State Department alert
The operation included intelligence assistance from the United States, and the Government of Trump sent congratulations to its Mexican counterparts by multiple channels after the operation; experts say the action will favor bilateral relations following the Feb. 23 developments.
A boost for Sheinbaum’s security strategy and García Harfuch’s cabinet
Mexican officials characterize the death of El Mencho as the major achievement of the security cabinet led by Secretary Omar García Harfuch, and President Claudia Sheinbaum has emphasized adding intelligence and investigation to efforts she pursued as head of the Government of Mexico City from 2019 to 2023, with García Harfuch in a leading role.
Contrast with the previous "Abrazos, no balazos" approach
The current strategy marks a clear shift from the prior administration’s slogan "Abrazos, no balazos, " and while that earlier period produced notable captures such as Ovidio Guzmán, El Ratón, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, El Nini 09, and Caro Quintero, officials present the fall of El Mencho as a different, more action-oriented phase.
CJNG’s reach, the scale of the prize and wider effects
The Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación is described as the most powerful criminal organization in Mexico, with presence in almost all the national territory and tentacles in more than 40 countries after an aggressive expansion in the last decade; the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration has called it one of the most powerful, influential and ruthless organizations, and analysts call the killing a caza mayor and a victory for Mexico’s current security approach.
What officials and experts say next
Erubiel Tirado, coordinator of the Program of National Security and Democracy at Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México, framed the operation as a major internal and external triumph that sends an international signal that Mexico has control over its security as the inauguration of the World Cup 2026 draws near; authorities also point to record figures in drug seizures and detentions, and García Harfuch states his office has detained more than 40, 000 people for high-impact crimes in this administration.
With the death of mencho and the State Department alert issued on Feb. 23, Mexican and U. S. officials say the next public milestone is the international attention focused on Mexico as the World Cup 2026 inauguration approaches, and officials continue to highlight intelligence-led operations and ongoing arrests and seizures tied to the campaign.
