Who is El Mencho? Inside the rise of CJNG’s fallen kingpin and the cartel he built

Mexican forces killed Rubén 'El Mencho' Oseguera, the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, in a Jalisco operation reportedly aided by U.S. intelligence; he had an estimated $15 million bounty. His removal coincided with immediate, deadly reprisals—officials report at least 73 people were killed during the operation and its aftermath—and has sparked violence across multiple regions. The government's prior extradition of nearly 100 suspected cartel figures to the U.S., including El Mencho’s brother, may shape the cartel's internal power struggle and further instability.