“Mencho was a priority target for both the Mexican and United States governments, as he was one of the principal traffickers of fentanyl into our country,” Leavitt said of the slain cartel leader.
According to the White House, three other members of the “Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación” (CJNG) were killed in the operation, three were injured and two were taken into custody.
A Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, told The Washington Post that the Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartels (JIATF-CC), a newly formed intelligence unit under the supervision of U.S. Northern Command, played a pivotal role in the operation that led to the cartel leader’s death.
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Oseguera Cervantes, 56, had long been among the most wanted fugitives by Mexican and American authorities, who offered a reward of up to 15 million US dollars (12.7 million euros) for information leading to his capture.
“President Trump has been very clear: The United States will ensure that narcoterrorists who send lethal drugs into our country are held accountable to the justice they have long deserved,” Leavitt wrote in her statement.
She added that the White House “praises and thanks” the Mexican military for its cooperation and successful execution of the operation.
U.S. authorities had accused Oseguera Cervantes of presiding over a “reign of terror” in Mexico and destroying “countless lives” through the trafficking of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for tens of thousands of overdose deaths annually in the United States. Washington designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization last year.
Chinese Embassy Urges Heightened Vigilance
Following the reported death of cartel leader Rubén Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, violent incidents including road blockades and vehicle burnings have erupted across several Mexican states, prompting school closures and flight cancellations.
The Chinese Embassy in Mexico issued a statement on Sunday urging Chinese nationals and institutions in the country to “exercise heightened vigilance” and strictly comply with notifications and directives issued by local government authorities.
According to the embassy, red alerts have been activated in the states of Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Colima, Baja California, and Tamaulipas. Local governments in these regions have advised residents to remain indoors whenever possible, avoid nonessential travel, and suspend public transportation services along with certain public activities.
Mexico’s Federal Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation has also issued guidance recommending that civilians avoid traveling on federal highways within the affected states. Those who must proceed are urged to exercise extreme caution while driving.
The embassy advised Chinese citizens to monitor local media and official government channels for updates, and to contact local emergency services and the embassy promptly in the event of an incident.
