2026 Mexico cartel unrest

2026 Mexico cartel unrest
	Part of the aftermath of the 2026 Jalisco operation; and the Mexican drug war
	Top: A burnt-out car in Jalisco after retaliatory arson attacks by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel Bottom: Police presence after Oseguera's killing · Bus destroyed after attacks in Zapopan ; Map of Mexico where at least one attack was reported
Date	22–23 February 2026; (1 day)
Location	Mexico
Result	Mexican government victory
Belligerents
Mexico;	Jalisco New Generation Cartel
Commanders and leaders
Claudia Sheinbaum; Ricardo Trevilla Trejo; Omar García Harfuch;	Hugo César Macías Ureña "El Tuli" †;
Units involved
Secretariat of National Defense Mexican Army Brigada de Fusileros Paracaidistas; ; National Guard; ;	Jalisco New Generation Cartel
Casualties and losses
25 National Guard members killed; 1 Jalisco state prosecutor agent killed; 1 jail guard killed; ; 3 soldiers injured;	~32 killed, several arrested
	1 civilian killed

The 2026 Mexico cartel unrest refers to a wave of violence, blockades, arson, and clashes across multiple Mexican states that erupted on 22 February 2026 after Mexican security forces killed Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The unrest included road blockages, arson attacks and violent confrontations involving cartel operatives and security forces, leading to numerous arrests and casualties, disruptions to transportation and public services, and heightened security measures nationwide. Oseguara's right-man Hugo César Macías Ureña, or "El Tuli", was the leading figure behind the retaliations and offered rewards for each Mexican soldier killed. Security forces killed El Tuli while he worked to escape from his attempted arrest. 25 National Guard members and several other law enforcement officials were killed along with 32 cartel members in the violence, which were calmed by 23 February.