US Intel Backs Mexican Operation to Kill CJNG Leader ‘El Mencho’

(MENAFN) The White House confirmed that the United States supplied intelligence assistance to Mexico during a major security operation that led to the death of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated on X: "The United States provided intelligence support to the Mexican government in order to assist with an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, in which Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes, an infamous drug lord and leader within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was eliminated,"

She described ‘El Mencho’ as a "top target" for both countries, identifying him as one of the principal traffickers of fentanyl into the United States. Leavitt also noted that President Donald Trump had designated the CJNG a foreign terrorist organization the previous year.

"In this operation, three additional cartel members were killed, three were wounded, and two were arrested," she said.

Leavitt praised the Mexican armed forces for their collaboration and the successful execution of the mission.

Separately, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who previously served as ambassador to Mexico, characterized the outcome as a "great development" for Mexico, the US, and Latin America more broadly.

The operation sparked an immediate and widespread backlash. Authorities reported road blockades, vehicles set ablaze, and armed confrontations across several states where the CJNG maintains a presence, including Tamaulipas, Michoacan, and Nayarit.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged the public to remain calm following the unrest, which involved multiple blockades and related disturbances.

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