I just found out something that probably many didn't expect. El Mencho, that name that has been in everyone's mouth for years, was finally killed by the Mexican army last Sunday. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, that was his real name, led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and believe me, he was one of the most wanted drug traffickers on the planet. The United States offered no less than 15 million dollars for his head.

What’s interesting is how this guy became what he was. Born in 1966 in Aguililla, Michoacán, El Mencho started working in avocado and marijuana fields. He emigrated to the United States, was arrested for heroin trafficking, served time, and was deported. When he returned to Mexico, he joined the Milenio Cartel as a hitman and security chief. But here’s the key point: after that organization was dismantled and Ignacio Coronel of the Sinaloa Cartel was killed in 2010, El Mencho founded the CJNG. And look, he turned it into one of the most powerful groups in Mexico in a short time.

What set El Mencho and his cartel apart was their ruthless brutality. In 2009, together with the Sinaloa Cartel, they created the Matazetas, who in 2011 left 35 bodies in Veracruz. Then the CJNG became independent and built its own hitman structure, even manufacturing its own weapons. The U.S. Department of State declared them a terrorist organization in 2025, describing them as a transnational cartel with presence in almost all of Mexico, involved in fentanyl trafficking, extortion, migrant smuggling, oil theft, and arms trade.

In 2015, they unleashed terror in Jalisco in a way few will forget. They ambushed the National Gendarmerie, attacked state police, and shot down a military helicopter with an RPG launcher. El Mencho diversified his operations beyond the U.S. border, targeting Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. But he kept a low profile, few photos, private life reserved. He married in the 90s to Rosalinda González Valencia, and they had three children. His ex-wife was released after being detained, but his eldest son, known as El Menchito, was sentenced to life in prison in the United States.

Now that El Mencho has been eliminated, it remains to be seen how the situation in Mexico will evolve. These groups don’t disappear overnight, but it’s undoubtedly a significant blow.