What does the killing of ‘El Mencho’ mean for Mexico?

Published February 24, 2026 5:36pm ET



The killing of Jalisco cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera, who’s known as “El Mencho,” was a significant accomplishment for Mexico’s government. It’s unclear, however, if it will be followed by similar missions or a cartel civil war, though those aren’t mutually exclusive possible outcomes.

Prior to Osegura’s killing over the weekend, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was widely considered to be the most powerful criminal organization in Mexico, and they have an “affinity for spectacular violence,” Duncan Wood, an expert with the Wilson Center, told the Washington Examiner.

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