The clash between soldiers and the cartel has continued.
Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed on Sunday by Mexican security forces. Mexico is now bracing for a civil war among his top lieutenants for control of the powerful cartel.
Oseguera was killed in a shootout with the Mexican military.
The Jalisco cartel has influence over a large territory including smuggling routes that extend from Mexico’s border with Guatemala to the Gulf Coast state of Tamaulipas and the Baja California peninsula in the Pacific.
More than 70 people died in the attempt to capture Oseguera. The Jalisco Cartel is one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico.
“This is the biggest blow that the government has ever struck against a criminal group in Mexico. It has national implications, given the vast number of states where the cartel operates, and it’s too early to tell whether it turns into a great war,” said Eduardo Guerrero, a leading security consultant in Mexico City.
Experts estimate that the Jalisco cartel has around 30,000 operatives. The cartel is fighting back, with gunmen closing roads across Mexico and burning vehicles in response to the killing of their leader.
More than 250 roadblocks were set up across 20 states by the organization in response to Oseguera’s death.
On Monday, Mexican authorities said they had deployed thousands of soldiers to put down any violence.
“We are closely monitoring the situation with our command center, anticipating any potential violent reaction or restructuring within the cartel,” said Mexican security minister Omar Garcia Harfuch.
The fear now in Mexico lies in the potential for an outbreak of violence as a result of the cartel determining who will assume control.
Security analyst Davis Saucedo acknowledged that there could be an increase in homicides “because what the Mexican government did was confront the Jalisco Cartel.”
“Other drug trafficking groups will perceive that there is weakness within the Jalisco Cartel,” he added.
The White House confirmed that the U.S. provided intelligence support to the operation to capture Oseguera, and applauded Mexico’s military for eliminating the man who was one of the most wanted criminals in both countries.
