(C) The Times of India

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Mexico has been plunged into a state of near-civil war following a high-stakes military operation that resulted in the death of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The demise of the man often called the "King of Cocaine" has triggered a violent backlash from cartel members, turning major cities into battlegrounds and raising urgent security concerns months before the FIFA World Cup.

The Operation in Tapalpa
On Sunday, February 22, the Mexican Ministry of Defense confirmed that El Mencho was fatally wounded during a precision military raid in Tapalpa, Jalisco. According to official reports, the cartel kingpin was being transported to Mexico City for emergency medical treatment when he succumbed to his injuries.

The operation was a bloodbath on both sides. Four cartel gunmen were killed on-site, and two others were apprehended. The military seized an arsenal of high-grade weaponry, including armored vehicles and rocket launchers. However, the victory came at a heavy cost: seven soldiers lost their lives, and a subsequent prison riot linked to the raid resulted in the deaths of a correctional officer and a federal prosecutor.

A Relentless Pursuit Ends
El Mencho, a former police officer turned warlord, had been the primary target of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, which has faced mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to dismantle the cartels. With a $15 million bounty on his head from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), El Mencho had long evaded capture by hiding in the rugged mountains of western Mexico.

His leadership transformed the CJNG into a paramilitary powerhouse. The group is infamous for its "ton-scale" cocaine trafficking—moving narcotics from Colombia through Ecuador via high-speed boats and semi-submersibles—and for its brazen 2020 assassination attempt on Mexico’s top security official in the heart of the capital.

Cities Ablaze: The Aftermath
The news of El Mencho’s death did not bring peace, but rather a firestorm of "narcobloqueos" (drug blockades). In Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city, cartel operatives hijacked vehicles and set them ablaze to paralyze major thoroughfares.

In the coastal resort of Puerto Vallarta, social media footage showed thick plumes of black smoke rising over the skyline as terrified tourists and locals fled the vicinity of the airport. The tactical use of arson and road closures is a signature move by the CJNG to disrupt military movements and spread terror.

"The streets are empty; it has become a ghost town," reported an AP correspondent in Guadalajara. "People are barricaded in their homes as the smell of burning rubber fills the air."

Geopolitical and Sporting Implications
The timing of this instability is particularly critical. Guadalajara is slated to be a host city for the FIFA World Cup this summer. The current chaos raises significant questions about the safety of international fans and athletes.

In response to the escalating violence, the U.S. State Department issued an emergency alert, urging American citizens in the states of Jalisco, Michoacán, Guerrero, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo León to seek shelter and avoid all non-essential travel.

What Lies Ahead
While the elimination of El Mencho is a symbolic and strategic victory for the Mexican government, experts warn of a "hydra effect." The vacuum left by his death could lead to internal power struggles within the CJNG or embolden rival cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel to seize disputed territories.

As the smoke continues to rise over Jalisco, the Sheinbaum administration faces its toughest test yet: proving that it can not only take down a titan but also restore order to a nation caught in the crossfire of a vengeful insurgency.