White House Confirms US Role in Mexican Drug Lord El Mencho’s Killing

The White House has confirmed that the United States provided intelligence support to the Mexican government for an operation that resulted in the killing of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho", in Jalisco.

"The United States provided intelligence support to the Mexican government in order to assist with an operation in Talpalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, in which Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes, an infamous drug lord and leader within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was eliminated," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a post on X.

CJNG retaliated by setting cars alight, building roadblocks and attacking security forces in eight states following the operation.

El Mencho, a 59-year-old former police officer, ran a vast criminal organisation responsible for trafficking huge quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the US.

The US State Department had offered a $15m (£11.1m) reward for information leading to his capture.

Was the El Mencho operation fully planned and executed by Mexican special forces?

In a statement, the Mexican defence ministry said the operation was "planned and executed" by the country's special forces.

Aircraft from the Mexican Air Force and the National Guard were also deployed. The ministry added that several armoured vehicles and weapons, including rocket launchers, were seized during the operation.

The killing of El Mencho represents a victory for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in her fight against the country's drug cartels.

However, if the security forces cannot bring the situation under control quickly, the administration's success may be overshadowed by the cartel's violent response.

The development also comes against the backdrop of remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to target the cartels on Mexican soil.

Last January, Trump told Fox News that after targeting drug trafficking boats "we are going to start now hitting land," adding that "the cartels are running Mexico".

President Sheinbaum later responded by saying a US troop deployment across the southern border was "not on the table".

United Airlines and American Airlines, along with Air Canada, cancelled flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. A flight operated by Delta Air Lines bound for Guadalajara from Atlanta was diverted to Austin, according to flight tracking site Flight Aware.

How powerful is the CJNG and what is its rivalry with the Sinaloa Cartel?

The Jalisco cartel has gained notoriety for a series of attacks on security forces and public officials. It has downed an army helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade, killed dozens of state officials, and has even been known to hang the bodies of its victims from bridges to intimidate its rivals.

The CJNG cartel, which had its original power base in Jalisco in 2010, is now present across Mexico. The Drug Enforcement Administration considers it to be rivalling the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, which has a presence in all 50 US states.

CJNG is also a key supplier of drugs to the US, earning billions from fentanyl production.

Since October 2024, 9,200lb (4,182kg) of fentanyl has been seized in the US, according to figures published by US Customs and Border Patrol in June 2025.

Almost all, 96%, was intercepted at the south-west border with Mexico. Less than 1% was seized across the northern US border with Canada, while the remainder was recovered from sea routes or other US checkpoints.

(With inputs from ANI)