US Intelligence Backed Operation That Killed Mexican Drug Lord

The CIA was 'instrumental' in the removal of the drug kingpin known as 'El Mencho', according to a person briefed on the effort.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The CIA was instrumental in the operation that led to the killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, a powerful Mexican drug lord known as 'El Mencho', according to a person briefed on the matter. The White House, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Mexican Embassy did not comment on the U.S. intelligence support for the operation, while the Defense Department declined to comment.

Why it matters

This operation is the latest sign of how the Trump administration has made counter-narcotics a central part of its foreign and national security policy, including threats of direct U.S. military action in Mexico if the government there does not do more to dismantle the drug cartels. The killing of 'El Mencho' is a significant blow against one of Mexico's most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations.

The details

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as 'El Mencho', founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in 2009 and turned it into the leading Mexican trafficker of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, according to the U.S. State Department. The U.S. government had placed a $15 million bounty on him in 2024 after calling his cartel one of the most violent in Mexico.

  • The operation to take out Oseguera occurred this past weekend.

The players

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes

Also known as 'El Mencho', he founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in 2009 and turned it into the leading Mexican trafficker of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.

Claudia Sheinbaum

The President of Mexico, who has faced pressure from the Trump administration to do more to dismantle the drug cartels in Mexico.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who has made counter-narcotics a central part of his administration's foreign and national security policy, including threats of direct U.S. military action in Mexico.

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What’s next

The White House, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Mexican Embassy have not responded to requests for comment on the U.S. intelligence support for the operation. The Defense Department has declined to comment.

The takeaway

The killing of 'El Mencho' is a significant blow against one of Mexico's most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations, and it highlights the Trump administration's focus on counter-narcotics as a key part of its foreign and national security policy, including the potential for direct U.S. military action in Mexico.