Mexico Undergoes Extensive Violence After Death of Drug Kingpin

(MENAFN) Multiple Mexican cities have erupted into chaos after security forces killed one of the country’s top drug lords, prompting cartel gunmen to clash with authorities. Airports were temporarily closed, and thousands of tourists were confined to their hotels and resorts as armed groups set fires, looted, and fired across city streets.

On Sunday, Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense announced that special forces had killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as ‘El Mencho,’ leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Cervantes succumbed to injuries sustained during a military operation aimed at capturing him in Tapalpa.

In retaliation, the cartel blocked roads, attacked patrol vehicles, and targeted public buildings, banks, and transport hubs, even threatening to enter tourist areas. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro declared a state of emergency.

The unrest quickly spread to other states, including Michoacan, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Colima, and Oaxaca. Social media footage shows vehicles burning and armed men patrolling streets. Flights in and out of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara have been suspended amid the violence.

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