El Mencho

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes (17 July 1966 – 22 February 2026), commonly referred to by his alias "El Mencho", was a Mexican drug lord and head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), an organized crime group based in Jalisco. He was the most wanted person in Mexico and one of the most wanted in the United States at the time of his death. The U.S. government and the Mexican government were offering rewards of up to US$15 million and MXN$300 million, respectively, for information leading to his arrest.

Oseguera Cervantes was wanted for drug trafficking, organized crime involvement, and illegal possession of firearms. El Mencho was allegedly responsible for coordinating global drug trafficking operations.

Born into poverty in the state of Michoacán, El Mencho grew avocados and dropped out of primary school before immigrating illegally to the U.S. in the 1980s. After being arrested several times, he was deported to Mexico in the early 1990s and worked for the Milenio Cartel. He eventually climbed to the top of the criminal organization and founded the CJNG after several of his bosses were arrested or killed. Under his command, the CJNG became one of Mexico's leading criminal organizations.

His notoriety was also a result of his aggressive leadership and sensationalist acts of violence against rival criminal groups and Mexican security forces alike. These attacks brought him increased government attention and an extensive manhunt. Security forces suspected he was hiding in a rural area of Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, or Colima, and that he was guarded by mercenaries with military training.

On 22 February 2026, Oseguera was seriously injured during a Mexican military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, and died en route to Mexico City from his gunshot wounds. The operation, aided by U.S. intelligence, triggered widespread retaliatory violence by the CJNG, including road blockades, vehicle fires, and clashes that killed at least 25 National Guard members.