In Guadalajara, Mexico, following the violence linked to the death of drug trafficker Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," on February 22, 2026. DIEGO MORENO/CLASOS PRESS/ABACA
The state of Jalisco is struggling to recover after the military operation on Sunday, February 23, in which the leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," was killed. The operation left 27 members of the National Guard and 46 drug traffickers dead. David Mora is a researcher specializing in Mexico at the International Crisis Group, a think tank focused on organized crime and conflict resolution.
You were in Guadalajara at the time of "El Mencho's" death, on Sunday, February 22. How did you experience that day?
It was striking to see how a city can empty out in just a few moments, with shops closing one after another and people disappearing in a municipality like Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, home to more than six million people. The city was hosting a half-marathon on Sunday, with over 10,000 runners, many of whom found themselves stranded because the roads were closed and numerous flights were canceled. Only one taco vendor remained open, and it was packed, both with runners and police officers. I spoke with members of the National Guard who described scenes of terrible violence. The 25 police officers [the toll has later been updated to 27] who died were killed in the state of Jalisco; they were their colleagues.
