January 1, El Mencho Dead, Cartel Violence Escalates

Wyatt’s Take

• El Mencho, leader of the CJNG cartel, killed in Mexico
• Trump policies paved way for major cartel crackdown
• Americans in Mexico warned as cartel violence surges

The killing of Ruben “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), came after a focused effort against the cartel by the Trump administration.

U.S. strategies pushed Mexican forces to act, leading to El Mencho’s death and a sharp rise in cartel violence, prompting warnings to Americans in Mexico.

On his first day in office, President Trump called for designating groups like CJNG as foreign terrorist organizations. This let the U.S. use tougher surveillance and prosecution powers. Attorney General Pam Bondi backed a new approach aimed at the “total elimination” of cartels, cutting through red tape so all parts of the government could work together to stop these criminal threats.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, CJNG is one of the most dangerous cartels in Mexico. They supply fentanyl to the U.S., conduct extortion, human smuggling, and fraud, and have members in nearly every state. The group was estimated to have up to 20,000 members and operated hubs in major American cities.

Major arrests followed Trump’s orders. High-ranking CJNG members were extradited and sentenced, including El Mencho’s brother and son. In March, the U.S. labeled fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction, using advanced assets to stop shipments at the border. Federal agencies also cut three Mexican banks from the U.S. dollar system, hitting the cartel’s finances.

With El Mencho gone, Mexico is seeing more violence as CJNG and rivals battle for control. Americans in Mexico have been told to shelter in place until things calm down.

Keep up with how these policies affect our security and border.

Wyatt Matters

Strong law enforcement and standing up to dangerous cartels protect our families and communities. Fighting back against these threats keeps Middle America safer from drugs and crime.

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