Who was Mencho, the former policeman turned leader of the world's most wanted cartel?

BarcelonaUnder the alias "El Mencho," Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes hid, leader of one of the most powerful gangs in Mexico and one of the most wanted fugitives in the world. who died at age 59 in police custody this Sunday, after being shot by Mexican special forcesDespite the far-reaching tentacles of his power, the feared drug trafficker maintained a low profile in the eyes of the world: so much so that only three photographs of him, taken years ago, were known to exist. The United States offered a reward of 15 million dollars for any information leading to his arrest.

Despite not enjoying the international fame of Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán, the now-imprisoned leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, saw the criminal organization headed by El Mencho become the most powerful in the country. This is the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), known for its displays of extreme violence and militarized style, which dominates drug trafficking in Mexico and transports synthetic drugs, especially to the United States.

Although he would eventually rise to lead one of the most powerful criminal empires in the world, El Mencho's beginnings were humble. Nemesio Oseguera was born in July 1966 into a family in rural Mexico, in the municipality of Aguililla, in the state of Michoacán, in western Mexico. As a young man, he moved to the United States, where he became involved in drug trafficking in the 1990s. In 1994, he was convicted in California for heroin trafficking and served three years in prison. Upon returning to Mexico, he briefly worked as a police officer in the state of Jalisco, but quickly resumed his criminal activities. Before founding the CJNG, he was already involved in the drug trade and had blood on his hands: he had served as the head of hitmen for the Milenio Cartel and had overseen the security and operational violence of the Sinaloa Cartel. When the Milenio Cartel found itself without leadership after the arrest of Óscar Nava Valencia, the organization splintered, giving rise to the CJNG, headed by El Mencho. His partner was Abigael González Valencia, then leader of Los Cuinis, a family-run cartel operating in Michoacán, which served as the financial and logistical arm of the CJNG. In this sense, the most beneficial operation for the cartel carried out by El Mencho was marrying Rosalinda González Valencia, sister of his partner, forming an alliance that allowed him to gain influence.

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Under his leadership, the cartel achieved a significant presence throughout Mexico and consolidated international routes for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States. modus operandi It was marked by extreme violence, especially against rival factions and security forces. The organization has been accused of committing massacres, ambushes against authorities, and coordinated blockades in various parts of the country. One of the most prominent incidents attributed to it is the attempted assassination of the then-Mexico City police chief, now the federal secretary of security, who was attacked with grenades and assault rifles on the capital's most famous street in 2020.

Mexican: possesses large amounts of money, state-of-the-art weapons, and very powerful paramilitary vehicles. According to US authorities, it is heavily involved in the production and trafficking of methamphetamine and fentanyl, with ties to suppliers in China, and controls several ports. Furthermore, it is estimated to have contacts in more than 40 countries, including Latin America, Australia, China, and Southeast Asia. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers the CJNG to be as powerful as the Sinaloa Cartel, with a presence in all 50 U.S. states. The U.S. designated it a terrorist organization in February 2025, by which time El Mencho had already been indicted several times in the country. The most recent charges are conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl) for the purpose of illegally importing them into the United States, and the use of firearms in connection with drug trafficking offenses.