Mexico’s Defense Ministry confirms it collaborated with US in operation against El Mencho

Mexico’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed that it collaborated with the United States in the operation against Nemesio Oseguera “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), who was killed on Sunday in a military raid after evading justice for decades. Oseguera, the world’s most wanted criminal, was killed along with six other CJNG members in an operation that also left three soldiers wounded in Tapalpa, Jalisco.

In response to the spread of false news about its involvement, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico stated that the military operation was planned and executed by Mexican Special Forces and carried out within the framework of bilateral cooperation, with the collaboration of U.S. Authorities, who provided complementary intelligence information.

“For the execution of this operation, in addition to central military intelligence work, within the framework of bilateral coordination and cooperation with the United States of America, complementary information was provided by the authorities of that country,” reads the statement issued by the federal agency.

“Our gratitude [goes out] to the Mexican Army and Air Force,” wrote Mexico’s security czar, Omar García Harfuch. Christopher Landau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, also welcomed the news: “The good guys are stronger than the bad guys. Congratulations to the law enforcement agencies of the great Mexican nation.”

Army and National Guard troops are now gathering in Jalisco and neighboring states to “reinforce security” after a wave of violence following the operation against the drug traffickers. President Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that “there is complete coordination with the governments of all states; we must remain informed and calm. My gratitude goes to the Mexican Army, National Guard, Armed Forces, and Security Cabinet. We work every day for peace, security, justice, and the well-being of Mexico.”

El Mencho was the top target for Mexico and the United States. Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, Sheinbaum’s government had been stepping up arrests and operations against criminals who were key targets for the U.S. Government, but none of them compared to the CJNG leader. The DEA had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.

On Sunday, Mexican Army planes arrived in Tapalpa, in the mountains of Jalisco, with the mission of taking El Mencho away. “During this operation, military personnel were attacked, so in defense of their integrity, they repelled the aggression, resulting in four members of the CJNG criminal group being killed at the scene and three seriously injured, who lost their lives during their air transfer to Mexico City; among the latter is Ruben ‘N’, alias El Mencho,” said the Ministry of Defense.

Over the past year and a half, the net had been closing in on El Mencho. On the one hand, in September 2024, the U.S. Justice system sentenced Rubén Oseguera González, alias El Menchito, El Mencho’s son, to life imprisonment for drug trafficking and carrying firearms. In August 2025, in one of the largest mass extraditions of drug lords, Mexico sent one of his old partners, Abigael González, alias El Cuini, the alleged financial mastermind of the criminal group, to the United States. And a month later, the DEA announced that it had arrested 670 alleged members of the cartel who were in the U.S. In just one week.

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