Mexico reels after El Mencho killing as deadly unrest spreads and flights, security responses escalate
Mexico has been plunged into widespread unrest after the death of Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, better known as "El Mencho, " a development that has left at least 25 members of the National Guard dead and forced a major redeployment of troops. The rapid spread of attacks, transport disruptions and international travel warnings has put a spotlight on security ahead of this summer's high-profile sporting events.
El Mencho capture and death in Tapalpa
Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the country's most wanted man, was shot during an attempt to capture him in Tapalpa in Jalisco state and died while being transported to Mexico City. Defence Minister Ricardo Trevilla said forces located him after tracking down a romantic partner he was meeting. The drug lord was seriously injured in a firefight between his bodyguards and the military commandos deployed to capture him.
Jalisco attacks and urban damage
As news of El Mencho's death spread, CJNG members launched coordinated attacks across towns and cities where the cartel is active. Vehicles, including buses, were commandeered and torched in the middle of roads; spikes and nails were thrown onto tarmac to block highways; and smoke was seen billowing over cities. Dozens of banks and local businesses were set alight or damaged. In Jalisco residents were warned to stay indoors and, in some areas, roadblocks were cleared by Monday morning, the president said.
Mexico troop deployments and National Guard fatalities
The government moved to contain the unrest by sending thousands of troops: Defence Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said an extra 2, 500 soldiers were dispatched to western Mexico on Monday, bringing the total deployed since Sunday to about 9, 500. The violence has spread to at least 20 states. At least 25 members of the National Guard have been killed in Jalisco since the unrest began, and at least six of El Mencho's security guards were killed during the capture operation. Three members of the Mexican military were injured in the operation. Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said a prison guard, a member of the state prosecutor's office, and 30 members of El Mencho's criminal organisation had been killed in the unrest since his death.
Travel disruptions, airline actions and foreign advisories
Air travel was disrupted as the violence unfolded. Flights from Puerto Vallarta were expected to resume "today or tomorrow, " the president said, and Aeromexico announced that services to and from Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Tepic would gradually resume from today. Lufthansa said it would operate flights to Mexico from Frankfurt and Munich. Canada cancelled flights to Puerto Vallarta and flight-tracking information showed many aircraft returning to their departure points. Governments issued shelter-in-place guidance: the US advised Americans in Jalisco to shelter indoors and the US State Department opened a 24/7 crisis hotline, calling on Americans to shelter in locations including Cancun, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta, while the UK advised Britons to remain indoors.
Guadalajara, World Cup venues and cartel power
The unrest raises questions about security for this summer's co-hosted Fifa World Cup: Guadalajara, a city of more than a million people, is scheduled to host four matches; Mexico City five; and Monterrey four. Javier Eskauriatza, an assistant professor of criminal law at the University of Nottingham, warned that when authorities press cartels they can provoke fierce pushback and that a power vacuum after a leader's death can lead to instability as contenders vie for control. He noted that cartels have an economic interest in keeping major events peaceful, since they pay off officials and invest in local businesses such as restaurants and hotels.
CJNG profile, motives and public reaction
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is one of the country's most feared criminal organisations. It is estimated to be worth more than £10bn and to have tens of thousands of members; it has been linked to massacres, kidnappings and the killings of politicians since its formation in 2009. Some CJNG figures retain local popularity through financing of infrastructure and facilities. A CJNG member described parts of the recent violence as "revenge" for their leader's death. Federal police were photographed guarding the security secretary's building in Mexico City, and a newspaper seller in Mexico City displayed morning editions dominated by the story.
What makes this notable is the combination of immediate lethal retaliation and the swift mobilization of federal forces: the death of a single high-profile cartel leader precipitated a cascade of attacks across urban centres and tourist corridors, prompting large-scale troop deployments, international travel responses and sheltering advisories.
