Will Mexico’s Jalisco cartel’s violent biz model survive El Mencho’s death?
Al Jazeera
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The death of Ruben Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho" and the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), has sparked widespread violence and unrest across Mexico. The CJNG, one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations, operates through a unique franchise-based structure that allows smaller cells to function independently under its brand and financial network. This decentralized model has made the cartel highly resilient, enabling it to maintain influence in every Mexican state and expand globally, including operations in over 40 countries.
The CJNG’s economic power is rooted in drug trafficking—primarily cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine—and other illicit activities such as fuel theft, illegal mining, extortion, migrant smuggling, and money laundering. Its control extends to strategic ports like Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas, which are crucial for importing synthetic precursor chemicals used in drug production. The cartel’s influence is further bolstered by its paramilitary force, which relies on fear tactics like forced disappearances and extortions to maintain territorial control and market dominance.
El Mencho’s death has highlighted the cartel’s capacity for rapid coordination and retaliation, with members setting fire to buses and taxis across 20 states in response. This unrest underscores the CJNG’s ability to adapt and sustain its operations even without a central leader. The group’s decentralized structure allows it to distribute profits across multiple locations and groups, as noted
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Originally published on Al Jazeera on 2/25/2026