Mexico drug kingpin ‘El Mencho’ killed, triggering widespread violence across the country

Mexican soldiers killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel known as "El Mencho," on Sunday. The operation marks the most significant victory for the Mexican government in its war against drug trafficking, taking down the country's most powerful criminal organization.

Violence erupted across the state of Jalisco and neighboring regions immediately following the news. Cartel members set fire to vehicles to create roadblocks, a common tactic used to obstruct security forces.

All schools in Jalisco remained closed on Monday as a result of the unrest. Authorities reported that hundreds of shops and several public transportation routes in Tijuana have ceased operations following the attacks.

The U.S. Consulate issued a security alert, ordering government personnel in Tijuana, Guerrero, Michoacan, and Quintana Roo to shelter in place. Canada also advised its citizens in the region to prioritize their safety and remain vigilant.

The violence has caused major travel disruptions, with domestic and international flights canceled at airports in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Taxi and ride-share services in Puerto Vallarta have been suspended as the situation develops.

The elimination of "El Mencho" represents a high-stakes political victory for President Claudia Sheinbaum, yet it simultaneously underscores the persistent failures of the long-standing "kingpin strategy" in Mexico. Facing intensified pressure from the Trump administration—which has designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) as a foreign terrorist organization—Sheinbaum now has a tangible breakthrough to present to Washington. While the strike satisfies U.S. demands for high-level enforcement, its significance remains largely symbolic in the broader war on drugs.

The immediate, widespread eruption of violence following the operation highlights the CJNG’s operational resilience and the inherent fragility of the Mexican state. The cartel’s ability to paralyze major urban centers, including international tourism hubs and World Cup host cities like Guadalajara, exposes a grim reality: the death of a figurehead does not dismantle the underlying corporate structure of the organization. Instead, the removal of a top-tier leader often triggers a power vacuum, inviting bloody internal purges and escalating turf wars as rival factions vie for succession.

For the Sheinbaum administration, this moment necessitates a fundamental policy pivot. If Mexico continues to rely on a decapitation strategy without addressing the financial architectures and logistical corridors that sustain these syndicates, such victories will yield only temporary chaos. To break the cycle of violence, the government must shift its focus toward asset forfeiture and the disruption of the cartels' deep-rooted economic networks. Without a transition to targeting the business side of organized crime, the fall of one kingpin merely clears the path for the next.

While these events have no direct impact on Vietnamese-owned businesses—from the nail salon industry to our local phở restaurants—they serve as a sobering security reminder for anyone planning a getaway to Mexico’s popular resorts. This is particularly relevant for travelers from major hubs in California and Texas, home to our largest Little Saigon communities.