The operation took place in the city of Tapalpa, located in the west of the country. According to the Ministry of Defense, El Mencho died from injuries sustained during transport to a medical facility. As a result of the operation, four cartel members were also killed, two of whom were seriously injured, and among the military, three were injured.
The drug syndicate was founded in 2010 in the state of Jalisco, and since then its influence has spread throughout Mexico. El Mencho, who previously worked in the police, led a powerful criminal organization involved in smuggling cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States. The U.S. government had previously set a reward of $15 million for any information that could help in his capture.
The Ministry of Defense also emphasized that the operation was prepared using intelligence data provided by American authorities. During the raid, military vehicles and a large amount of weapons, including grenade launchers, were seized.
The death of El Mencho has led to a sharp increase in violence: in eight states, cartel militants set vehicles on fire, blocked roads, and attacked law enforcement agencies.
The killing of the cartel leader is a significant victory for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in the fight against drug cartels, notes BBC correspondent Will Grant. This success may also help strengthen her relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, who insists on more active measures from Mexico against drug structures.
However, the sense of victory may be overshadowed if authorities cannot quickly deal with the escalating violence.
The 'Jalisco New Generation' cartel is notorious for its brutality: militants have repeatedly shot down military helicopters, killed numerous officials, and left the bodies of victims on bridges to intimidate rivals.
