Mexico experiences a new wave of cartel violence following the killing of the nation's most-wanted drug lord, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as 'El Mencho,' in ajoint military operation with the US.
On 22 February, the Mexican security forces staged a large-scale operation in the western state of Jalisco, targeting El Mencho, the leader of the strong Jalisco New Generation Cartel Tapalpa (CJNG). The Defence Ministry assured that the 59-year-old died from injury while being flown to Mexico City to seek medical attention.
Considered as the most violent and heavily armed criminal group in Mexico, the CJNG had long been the leading target of both the Mexican and US governments based on its involvement in the drug trafficking of huge concentrations of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine into the United States.
Thenewsabout the death of El Mencho was immediately accompanied by massive riots. Cartel supporters and armed cells went on a rampage in at least eight states within hours, setting vehicles ablaze, putting up makeshift roadblocks, and assaulting both urban and rural infrastructure.
InGuadalajara and other cities, the skies were filled with heavy smoke, and buses and cars were burned, and armed men staged violent demonstrations of force, with social media videos showing plumes of smoke above major transport routes and city streets.
There were interruptions to the transport services: dozens of flights to and from the resort and urban airports like Puerto Vallarta were cancelled by major airlines like Air Canada, United Airlines, and Aeromexico, and thousands of schools in some states, mainly on a precautionary basis.
President Claudia Sheinbaum admitted that the situation sparked unrest and urged people to calm down, emphasising coordinated federal and state efforts to respond to the issue at hand. In most of the national territory, things are occurring in complete regularity, she wrote on a social networking site.
International responses included security warnings from the US and Canada. Travel advisories advised travellers in affected zones to 'shelter in place' and not to move around unnecessarily as the violence ensued.
Although the death of a cartel boss often marks a win for law enforcement, Mexico's history suggests that it might lead to additional instability as well. The bloody power wrangles that ensued as a result of the historic high-profile arrests in the Sinaloa cartel in the past are clear references reinforcing the need for caution when handling similar cases today.
For some analysts, the death of El Mencho might not diminish the power of the CJNG, but rather trigger internal rivalry and more violence in the group as the small groups within the cartel and other gang factions struggle for supremacy.
Source: International Business Times UK
