On February 22nd, Mexican Army Special Forces, with the support of the Mexican Air Force and National Guard, launched a raid on Nemesio Ruben “el Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the CJNG (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación). Here is a U.S. government wanted poster for El Mencho:
The raid was in Tapalpa, Jalisco state. El Mencho was wounded and captured, dying in a plane enroute to Mexico City.
In reprisal, the CJNG cartel launched hundreds of attacks in 20 states, blocking roads with burning vehicles and setting stores and banks on fire.
From the Associated Press: “Cars burned out by cartel members blocked roads at more than 250 points in 20 Mexican states, authorities said, and left smoke billowing into the air. Jalisco’s capital, Guadalajara, was turned into a ghost town Sunday night as civilians hunkered down. School was canceled Monday in several states. Authorities in Jalisco, Michoacan and Guanajuato reported at least 14 dead, including seven National Guard troops.”
There was U.S. intel involvement in the Mexican military operation. From Reuters: “A new U.S.-military-led task force specializing in intelligence collection on drug cartels played a role in the Mexican military raid on Sunday that killed the Mexican drug lord known as ‘El Mencho,’ a U.S. defense official told Reuters. The Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, which involves multiple U.S. government agencies, was formally launched last month with the goal of mapping out networks of drug cartel members on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. officials said.”
“The U.S. official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, did not offer further details on any information that the U.S.-military-led task force may have offered Mexican authorities. The official stressed the raid itself was a Mexican military operation.”
“A former U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity without referring specifically to the task force, said the U.S. compiled a detailed target package for El Mencho and provided it to the Mexican government for its operation. This detailed dossier included information provided by U.S. law enforcement, U.S. intelligence, the former official said.”