MEXICO CITY: One of Mexico's most notorious drug lords, Nemesio Oseguera, or El Mencho, was killed in a military raid on Sunday (Feb 22), sparking widespread retaliatory violence.President Claudia Sheinbaum has been under mounting pressure from Washington to intensify her offensive against drug cartels blamed for producing and smuggling drugs, particularly the synthetic opioid fentanyl, across the border to the United States.Oseguera, 60, the mastermind of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), died in custody after being injured in a military operation by Mexican special forces in the town of Tapalpa on Mexico's Pacific coast in Jalisco state, according to Mexico's defence ministry.His corpse arrived in Mexico City on Sunday afternoon in a heavily guarded convoy of National Guard troops.Mexican forces led and carried out the raid with intelligence support from the US, sources said.A new US-military-led task force played a role, a US defence official told Reuters. Mexico's defence ministry said it received "complementary information" from the US.After reports of El Mencho's death, cartel henchmen blockaded highways with burning cars and torched businesses in more than half a dozen states, paralysing parts of the country. No civilian deaths have been reported.In Jalisco's popular beach resort of Puerto Vallarta, frightened tourists on social media described a "war zone" as plumes of dark smoke rose into the sky from around the bay. Air Canada, United Airlines, Aeromexico and American Airlines suspended flights in the area.A burnt bus stands as members of the National Guard stand at the site on the highway connecting Mexico City with the state of Puebla, following roadblocks and arson attacks carried out by members of organised crime in several states after a military operation in which a government source said Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as El Mencho, was killed in Jalisco state, in Santa Rita Tlahuapan, Mexico on Feb 22, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Paola Garcia)FORMER COP TO CARTEL KINGPINOseguera, a former police officer, founded and oversaw the rapid rise of the CJNG, named for the western state of Jalisco that is home to one of Mexico's biggest cities, Guadalajara. In recent years, CJNG has expanded into one of Mexico's most powerful cartels, known for violent tactics including forced labor and forced recruitment.Under El Mencho's leadership, CJNG also became a highly diversified criminal enterprise, expanding from drug trafficking to fuel theft, extortion, human smuggling, and complex financial fraud. The cartel pioneered the use of drones in attacks against civilians in remote regions of western Mexico as part of its rapid territorial expansion.Sunday's raid was one of Mexico's highest-profile blows against drug gangs responsible for smuggling billions of dollars of drugs - including fentanyl - into the US.In recent years, the leaders of the rival Sinaloa Cartel - Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada - were captured alive. Both are now in US prisons.President Donald Trump's administration lauded El Mencho's killing, but the domestic violence it triggered highlighted the political balancing act Sheinbaum must strike as her government escalates its cartel offensive.Sheinbaum reassures Mexico after US military movements spark concernMexico's Sheinbaum says US military intervention ruled out after talks with TrumpUS pressing Mexico to allow US forces to fight cartels, NYT reportsOn Sunday, Sheinbaum stressed that activities in most areas of the country were proceeding as usual. Schools in various states across Mexico protectively cancelled classes for Monday, according to announcements by state-level education departments.Security experts were watching whether the raid and death of the cartel boss would fracture CJNG leadership and trigger bloody infighting."There will definitely be skirmishes between the various factions, and these spasms of violence could last for years," said Carlos Olivo, a former US Drug Enforcement Administration assistant special agent in charge and an expert in CJNG.KILLING WINS US PRAISEUS Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, previously ambassador to Mexico, said Oseguera's killing was a "great development" for the US and Mexico, as well as the rest of Latin America.In January, after the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump said "the cartels are running Mexico", and warned "we are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels".Sheinbaum said she would strengthen efforts to cooperate with the US to fight cartels, but vowed to uphold Mexico's sovereignty and warned against any unilateral military action by the US in Mexico.Sheinbaum, in a social media post on Sunday, said security officials would provide information on the operation.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin here