A girlfriend of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the powerful leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), played a crucial role in helping Mexican authorities locate him in Tapalpa, a picturesque holiday village in western Mexico.
The 59-year-old Oseguera, better known as “El Mencho,” was wounded in a fierce clash with soldiers on Sunday and later died while being airlifted to a hospital.
The operation began after Mexican military intelligence, with support from the US military’s Northern Command, learned that one of Oseguera’s romantic partners planned to meet him in Tapalpa, about 130 kilometres from Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state.
Mexican Defence Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said at a press conference on Monday that the woman was taken to a house in Tapalpa by a trusted associate. She met Oseguera on Saturday and left shortly afterward, leaving him at the property with his security detail.
The National Guard’s Special Immediate Reaction Force then planned a coordinated assault involving both ground and air operations. According to Trevilla, soldiers approached the area carefully, avoiding entry into Jalisco initially to maintain secrecy and preserve the element of surprise.
Once authorities confirmed Oseguera’s presence — he was wanted on charges including organised crime and illegal weapons possession — they launched a raid on the ranch.
“It was a very violent confrontation,” Trevilla said, noting that Oseguera was armed with an arsenal that included assault rifles and two rocket launchers. His security detail had previously used similar weapons, including in 2015 when they shot down a military helicopter to help him evade capture.
This time, however, Oseguera was unable to escape. As he and his guards attempted to flee into a forested area near a complex of cabins, soldiers surrounded them and found him hiding in the undergrowth.
During the gunfight, cartel gunmen struck a military helicopter, forcing it to make an emergency landing at a nearby base. Soldiers wounded Oseguera and two of his escorts. All three were airlifted to a hospital in Guadalajara but died en route.
Their bodies were later transported to Mexico City and handed over to the General Prosecutor’s Office. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said Oseguera’s remains would be returned to his family, though burial plans have not yet been disclosed.
Authorities also confirmed the death of his right-hand man, Hugo H., known as “El Tuli.” He was located in El Grullo, another town in Jalisco, from where he allegedly coordinated roadblocks, vehicle burnings, and retaliatory attacks against security forces following Oseguera’s death.
According to Trevilla, “El Tuli” had reportedly offered 20,000 pesos (around US$1,150) for every soldier killed. He was carrying an assault rifle, a pistol, and nearly US$1.4 million in cash when he died while attempting to flee.
Oseguera’s death triggered a wave of violence across 20 of Mexico’s 32 states, marked by hundreds of roadblocks and vehicle burnings. Dozens of people were killed in the initial raid and the subsequent unrest, including 25 members of the National Guard military police and 34 suspected gang members.
By Monday, relative calm had returned to much of the country, although isolated blockades continued in parts of Jalisco and neighbouring Michoacán. The government has deployed around 10,000 soldiers in an effort to restore order and prevent further violence. (Agency)
