2026-02-23 16:45
publication
2026-02-23 16:45
Mexico must increase its efforts to fight cartels and drugs, US President Donald Trump wrote on his social media site on Monday. This is a reaction to the killing in Mexico with US support of the leader of the CJNG drug cartel and the wave of violence that swept the country after his death.
“Mexico Must Step Up Its Efforts on Cartels and Drugs!” – Trump wrote on Truth Social. In the same entry, he complimented the interview that former head of the US DEA Drug Enforcement Service, Derek Maltz, gave to Fox News.
In the interview, Maltz praised Mexico's action that led to the killing of the head of the Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) drug cartel, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho”, and the US and Mexico increasing their fight against the cartels. However, he admitted that in the face of the wave of violence caused by the cartel in retaliation, the situation throughout the country was not safe.
– What we are witnessing now, especially on social media, shows how much control and power the cartels have in Mexico. They blow up buses and block roads. There are lockdowns in 20 states, Maltz said. – However, I am sure that thanks to the professionalism of the Department of State (USA), warnings and communication on social media, everything will be fine. These are just isolated cases, he added.
As White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Sunday, the US provided intelligence support to Mexico to target the head of the CJNG. The cartel, known for its extreme brutality, was shut down last year. designated a terrorist organization by the Trump administration, along with rival Mexican gangs Los Zetas and Sinaloa.
At least 25 members of the National Guard were killed in acts of violence following the capture and death of Mexican drug lord El Mencho, Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said at a press conference on Monday.
The manhunt for the head of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, Nemesio Oseguera, known as El Mencho, took place on Sunday morning. He died of his injuries while in custody in Tapalpa.
El Mencho's death triggered a wave of violence in Mexico, as members of his cartel launched retaliatory attacks.
Harfuch said there were “27 cowardly attacks on the authorities in Jalisco,” during which 30 cartel members, one prosecutor's office official and one random woman were also killed.
He emphasized that 70 people were detained in seven states in connection with the wave of violence. The authorities also deployed an additional 2,500 soldiers to the west of the country to prevent violence.
“We are closely monitoring any reactions or changes in the cartel that could lead to violence,” he said.
Mexican Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla said the information that led to El Mencho's killing was provided by one of his mistresses.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbeum assured that there were no roadblocks in the country on Monday morning and that her priority is to restore peace and security throughout Mexico. “The protection of the population is the most important thing,” she stressed.
El Mencho was the most wanted cartel boss in Mexico. The United States offered $15 million for information leading to his capture. (PAP)
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From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)
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