- Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, was killed on Sunday during the operation of Mexican special forces in the mountains of Jalisco state
- El Mencho, 59, was the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the most powerful drug gangs in Mexico; The United States offered a reward of $15 million for him.
- After his death, CJNG members began terrorizing civilians in Mexico in retaliation for the loss of their leader; the services do not disclose details of the operation
He was allegedly shot during an operation in the mountains in the state of Jalisco. However, the services have not yet revealed the details of the entire operation. The 59-year-old headed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC), one of the most powerful gangs in Mexico. In retaliation for the murder of their leader, JNGC criminals began terrorizing the civilian population.
When did El Mencho die?
How much was the bounty for El Mencho?
What role did El Mencho play in the police?
What cartel was El Mencho from?
Who was El Mencho?
El Mencho has built an aura of mystery around himself and not much is known about him. “Unlike El Chapo, who sought Sean Penn's help to turn his life of crime into a Hollywood hit, El Mencho preferred to remain in the shadows. Only a few photographs of him exist,” describes “The Gurdian.”
We know for sure that Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes was born in 1966 in Naranjo de Chila, Michoacán. His nickname comes from a phonetic variation of his name. He came from a poor family that grew avocados. While in the fifth grade of primary school, he dropped out of school and at the age of 14, he started guarding a marijuana plantation. Shortly thereafter, he decided to look for a better life and emigrated to the USA.
El Mencho was first detained by the police when he was 19 years old. It was about stealing property and possessing a loaded gun. During this period, the gangster crossed the US-Mexico border many times. According to investigators, it was then that he most likely began producing and selling methamphetamine. In 1989, he was arrested again, this time for selling drugs. The gangster was deported to Mexico, but later returned to the USA. After another arrest, he was sent back to his homeland for good.
“Mexican's most powerful drug lord”
In Mexico, El Mencho initially joined the local police. However, he left the unit after some time and instead became involved in the Milenio cartel. He played the role of an assassin there.
Milenio later entered into an alliance with another cartel – Sinaola, whose leader was Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel. When in 2009-2010 the leaders of the first group were detained and Nacho was murdered, El Mencho took over the members of both gangs and created a new cartel, which he led.
CJNG's activities have reached a huge scale. The gang was involved in trade, among others: cocaine or heroin. He was also accused by the Americans of smuggling fentanyl into the US. The cartel was also responsible for numerous murders of policemen and criminals.
