U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)
Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego reacted to the killing of Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," the longtime leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion, urging the Mexican government to "recognize that letting cartels grow unchecked is a threat to everyone."
"It's time they treat them as the threat they are," Gallego added in a social media publication. He was reacting to a video showing columns of smoke rising across Puerto Vallarta, in Jalisco, on Sunday. Local reports detailed that cartel operatives also set vehicles on fire in retaliation for the killing.
Hope Mexicans and tourists are safe. The Mexican government needs to recognize that letting cartels grow unchecked is a threat to everyone. It’s time they treat them as the threat they are. https://t.co/1DZ9BW7NNS
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) February 22, 2026
The Mexican government said it deployed security forces have been deployed to Jalisco to fight the roadblocks. The country's security cabinet detailed that it was addressing the blockades "taking place in some areas of Jalisco, which are a result of operations carried out by federal institutions."
The killing of El Mencho is one of the most consequential blows to a major Mexican criminal organization in years, both because the CJNG has been widely described as among the country's most powerful and violent groups, and because Oseguera Cervantes had remained a fugitive despite a years-long, binational manhunt that included a U.S. State Department reward of up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
The strike was part of an operation in the mountains of Jalisco and was framed as a major security success for President Claudia Sheinbaum's government.
Mexico's Secretariat of Defense confirmed that "El Mencho" died during a clash between members of the military and cartel operatives. It noted that four cartel operatives were killed in the clash, while three others were seriously injured. One of them was Oseguera Cervantes, who died while being taken to Mexico City. No military members died during the operation, authorities added.
In this context, the U.S. State Department urged U.S. citizens in several Mexican states to shelter in place until further notice due to the fallout of the killing. The notice includes the following locations: "Jalisco State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (including Reynosa and other municipalities), areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State."
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Tags: Ruben Gallego, Arizona, Mexico, El Mencho