Mexico is on alert after cartel gunmen went on a violent rampage of revenge in response to federal forces killing their leader, a notorious mob boss known as ‘El Mencho’.
Retaliatory cartel attacks since the raid have killed 25 members of the National Guard and one security guard, according to Mexico’s security minister, Omar García Harfuch. He said 30 cartel operatives were killed as well as one bystander.
Authorities had attempted to capture Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, also known as ‘El Mencho’, in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday but the raid led to a firefight that fatally wounded the infamous leader and killed six of his accomplices, according to officials.
El Mencho, 59, was one of the world’s most wanted drug traffickers. He led the heavily armed Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which had become the country’s most powerful criminal organisation. The defence minister, Ricardo Trevilla, said information leading to the capture and death of Mexico’s most-wanted man stemmed from a romantic partner.
In the country’s west, schools were closed and international travellers left stranded, as cartel foot soldiers blocked roads by torching cars and buses. Several foreign governments issued travel warnings.
The president, Claudia Sheinbaum, urged calm and authorities said all of the more than 250 cartel roadblocks across 20 states had been cleared.
It is unclear if the violence will continue. Previous operations to kill or capture organised crime bosses have led to eruptions of bloodshed and chaos, as cartels retaliate against the government. Efforts to remove kingpins have also often left dangerous power vacuums which provoke more bloodshed as rival factions fight for control.
David Mora, Mexico analyst for International Crisis Group, said he expected to see violence spike. “El Mencho was a very powerful figure who ran a very centralised organisation. There is no clear direct heir or successor,” he said. This could create a struggle for control within the group, he added, while other cartels may seize the moment to launch turf wars.
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