By Staff Reporter

MEXICO CITY — Nemésio Oseguera Cervantes, the elusive leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the most wanted drug traffickers in the world, has died, according to senior Mexican security officials. He was widely known by his alias, “El Mencho.”

Authorities have not yet released full details regarding the circumstances of his death, but sources within Mexico’s federal security apparatus said confirmation came after intelligence assessments conducted over the past several days. Officials are expected to provide additional information during a scheduled press conference.

Oseguera Cervantes, 59, had led the powerful cartel for more than a decade, transforming it into one of the most dominant and violent criminal organizations in the country. Under his command, the group expanded aggressively across multiple Mexican states and into international trafficking routes spanning the United States, Europe and Asia.

The U.S. Department of Justice had previously charged him with drug trafficking, weapons offenses and money laundering, and the U.S. government had offered a multimillion-dollar reward for information leading to his capture. He had evaded arrest despite numerous military operations targeting his inner circle.

Security analysts say his death could trigger a power struggle within the cartel, potentially destabilizing regions already plagued by violence. “When a figure of this magnitude disappears, it often creates fragmentation,” said a Mexico-based security consultant. “That can either weaken the organization — or make it even more volatile.”

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has not yet publicly commented, but federal forces have reportedly heightened their alert level in western states where the cartel maintains a strong presence.

For years, El Mencho symbolized the rise of a new generation of cartel leadership — younger, more militarized and technologically sophisticated than predecessors such as Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. His organization became notorious for brazen attacks on security forces and for deploying heavily armed convoys in public confrontations.

Whether his death marks a turning point in Mexico’s long-running drug war remains uncertain. Experts caution that cartel structures often outlive their leaders, adapting quickly to maintain control over lucrative trafficking networks.

Still, the reported end of El Mencho closes a violent chapter in Mexico’s criminal underworld — one defined by rapid expansion, unprecedented firepower and a relentless pursuit by authorities on both sides of the border.