Mencho: death of mencho boosts Mexico’s security strategy
The death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, has become a focal point in Mexico’s security debate and prompted a U. S. safety alert for Americans in Mexico. The operation that killed El Mencho and the reactions that followed are being framed as a major win for the current Mexican security approach.
Operation in the sierra of Jalisco combined Mexican forces and U. S. intelligence
The fall of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, took place after an operation in the sierra of the State of Jalisco carried out by Mexican authorities with intelligence support from the United States. Press notes cited a complex security belt surrounding the capo; his killing ended decades of evasion of security forces.
Claudia Sheinbaum and Omar García Harfuch present it as a premier achievement
The operation is being described as the biggest achievement of the security cabinet led by Omar García Harfuch and one of the strongest blows Mexico has dealt to narcotrafficking in recent years. The result is being credited as the major success of the new security strategy of President Claudia Sheinbaum and her secretary, Omar García Harfuch, in just over a year in office.
Contrast with “Abrazos, no balazos” and past captures
Officials and analysts note a clear difference with the previous administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose slogan “Abrazos, no balazos” signaled non-confrontation with criminal groups. The earlier period nonetheless saw high-profile captures and operations that included arrests or actions involving Ovidio Guzmán, El Ratón, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, El Nini 09 and Caro Quintero, though critics described a general laissez-faire toward cartels.
Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación’s reach and the DEA assessment
The Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) is portrayed as the most powerful criminal organization in Mexico, especially after a civil war weakened the Sinaloa Cartel. The CJNG has presence in almost the entire national territory and tentacles in more than 40 countries, following an aggressive expansion over the last decade. The U. S. anti-drug agency, the DEA, defines it as one of the most powerful, influential and ruthless criminal organizations. Unlike other groups with multiple leaders, El Mencho was described as the undisputed head of his cartel, making his killing a caza mayor and a symbolic victory for Mexico’s security strategy.
U. S. reactions: State Department alert, Trump government congratulations, and experts on bilateral ties
On Feb. 23, 2026, the U. S. State Department issued a security alert for Americans in Mexico. Separately, the Government of Trump sent congratulations to its Mexican counterparts by multiple channels for the success of the operation that ended with the death of El Mencho. Experts cited in coverage say the action will favor bilateral relations and highlighted the reinforced cooperation between the two governments this year.
Voices inside Mexico: Erubiel Tirado and the Sheinbaum-García Harfuch approach
Erubiel Tirado, coordinator of the Program of National Security and Democracy at the Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México, said the defining difference in the current strategy is action: an evident campaign against organized crime that targets leaderships. Tirado summarized the shift as moving away from “hugs” toward an approach that includes force, and he called the operation a major internal and external triumph that sends an international signal of Mexico’s security control as the inauguration of the 2026 World Cup approaches.
President Sheinbaum has emphasized addressing the root causes of violence while adding intelligence and investigation to the response, saying she replicates the approach she used as head of government of Mexico City from 2019 to 2023, when García Harfuch also served as a leading official. The current administration is translating that approach into record numbers of drug seizures and detentions, and García Harfuch has publicly stated that he has detained more than 40, 000 people for high-impact crimes. The published text from one report ends abruptly with the fragment “Además, hace un”.
