Based on reports on the death of one of the most wanted Jalisco Cartel leaders and the capture of another, destruction has occurred in Guatemala and Jalisco. This is backed by widespread reports of incidents like burning cars, stores, airports, with innocent civilians getting caught in the crossfire.
Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” is the founder and leader of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación. He was considered one of the most powerful and violent drug lords in Mexico, and was recently killed in a military operation on February 22, 2026. This was as a result of injuries sustained in a Mexican military operation in Tapalapia, Jalisco. As the leader of this violent, fast-growing organization, he was one of the most wanted criminals in both the U.S. and Mexico, with 15 million USD offered for his capture, and another 300 million MXN from the government of Mexico.
Additionally, Hugo Cesar Macias Ureña, also known as “El Tuli,” was identified as El Mencho’s right hand man in Jalisco, responsible for coordinating the cartels and their retaliatory violence. Following February 2026, he was fatally shot by security forces while attempting to flee in El Grullo, Jalisco.
Due to these two’s death, large-scale fighting has occurred in Jalisco and its surroundings. Other cartel members are fighting to get a claim of the land to become the new “leaders,” and some are also working to get revenge for their leader. The cartel members have specific targets in mind, primarily U.S. citizens and tourists due to the new leader’s ties with California and the U.S military’s help in capturing El Mencho.
A few days ago, a message was received from one of the cartel members saying that, throughout the week, they would be passing and shooting anyone on the streets, starting from 2 P.M. and ending in the morning. U.S citizens were warned that they were targets, and that they would go after them even if they had done nothing.
Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzales, El Mencho’s step son, also known as “El Pelon,” or “Tricky Tres,” has emerged as a leading contender to take over leadership of the organization. He is a dual U.S-Mexican Citizen born in Santa Ana, California, Orange County, in 1984. As of now, he is considered the de facto second in command, and previously ran the group elite, the armed wing of the cartel. His mother, Rosalinda Gonzales Valencia, “La Jefa,” was a major figure in the cartel’s financial operation, with experts believing she would support her son’s ascension. The U.S. Department of Justice has offered a 5 million dollar reward for any information leading to his arrest or conviction.
Stay safe, Jags!
