From Avocado Fields to Cartel Throne: The Rise and Fall of ‘El Mencho’

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, better known as “El Mencho,” spent nearly two decades as one of the world’s most wanted drug traffickers. On Sunday, February 22, 2026, his long run came to a violent end when Mexican soldiers launched an operation in the mountain town of Tapalpa in Jalisco state. Wounded during the raid, he died while being flown to Mexico City, according to official reports.

His death sent immediate shockwaves across western Mexico. In Jalisco and neighboring states, burning vehicles were used to block highways, a tactic frequently employed by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG. Public transportation was suspended in parts of Jalisco, schools were closed the following day in multiple areas, and residents were urged to remain indoors. Guadalajara, widely considered the cartel’s stronghold, fell unusually quiet.

The United States had offered a reward of up to 15 million dollars for information leading to his arrest. That reward went unclaimed. During the military operation, several cartel members were killed, others died during transfer, and two suspects were arrested. Authorities reported the seizure of armored vehicles and heavy weapons. Members of Mexico’s armed forces were also wounded in the confrontation.

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Washington welcomed the development. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau described Oseguera as “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins.” The White House confirmed that American intelligence support had assisted Mexican authorities in the operation.

Oseguera Cervantes, 59, was born in Aguililla, Michoacán, a region long associated with drug trafficking. Before rising through the ranks of organized crime, he reportedly worked as a police officer and later as an avocado farmer. In the 1980s, he entered the United States illegally and lived in California. He was arrested on drug charges, deported, returned illegally, and was arrested again in 1992. After serving time in prison, he was deported to Mexico a second time.

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Back in Mexico, he became involved with the Milenio Cartel. Around 2007, he co founded the CJNG alongside Érick Valencia Salazar, known as “El 85.” What began as a splinter group evolved into one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico.

US law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, have described CJNG as one of Mexico’s most dominant trafficking groups. The cartel has been linked to the large scale distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl into the United States.

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CJNG became known for its aggressive tactics. Authorities have linked the group to the use of drones to deploy explosives and coordinated attacks against security forces. In 2020, the cartel carried out a high profile assassination attempt against Mexico City’s police chief, using heavy weaponry in a brazen urban assault. The target survived.

Despite his prominence, El Mencho maintained an unusually low public profile. Most publicly available images of him were decades old. For years, he remained largely unseen, even as his name surfaced repeatedly in connection with mass violence and drug seizures.

CJNG operated in part as a family network. His son, Rubén Oseguera González, known as “El Menchito,” served as a senior figure within the organization. In March 2025, he was sentenced in the United States to life in prison plus 30 years after being convicted on multiple drug trafficking charges. US authorities described him as an early contributor to fentanyl trafficking into the American market.

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Oseguera Cervantes’ wife, Rosalinda González Valencia, was arrested in Mexico in 2021 on allegations of financial links to the cartel. Her brother, Abigael González Valencia, identified by authorities as a key financial operator connected to CJNG’s network, was also detained in previous operations.

By the time security forces reached Tapalpa, much of El Mencho’s inner circle had already been dismantled through arrests and prosecutions on both sides of the border.

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Security analysts warn that the power vacuum left by his death could trigger internal struggles among regional commanders within CJNG. Similar fragmentation followed the arrest and extradition of other cartel leaders in the past, often leading to spikes in violence.

The timing is sensitive. Mexico is preparing to co host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Guadalajara set to serve as one of the host cities. Stability in Jalisco will be closely watched in the months ahead.

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President Claudia Sheinbaum commended security forces and urged calm following the operation. Whether the country can maintain that calm as CJNG recalibrates remains uncertain.

For now, the man who rose from rural Michoacán to lead one of the world’s most feared drug cartels is gone. His death marks the end of an era, but not necessarily the end of the violence tied to the empire he built.