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El Mencho: Alleged first photo of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes surfaces after CJNG drug lord killed in Mexico
El Mencho or Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes was killed by the Mexican military on Sunday, dealing a huge blow to Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
The first alleged photo of El Mencho or Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, after he was killed, has surfaced online. The leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was killed by Mexican military on Sunday.
The alleged photo, which was widely circulated online, showed a figure who appeared to be El Mencho. The figure was seen with eyes closed, wearing a white shirt. The individual appeared to have bruising on his face and there appeared to spots of blood on the shirt. HT.com could not independently verify the authenticity of the image.
The photo was shared by a correspondent for right-wing outlet Real America’s Voice. The person also exercised caution about the authenticity of the image.
Track live updates from Mexico after El Mencho killed
What to know about alleged El Mencho photo
“First filtered imaged of EL MENCHO dead, after being executed. We received this picture waiting for accurate authenticity," they wrote.
Currently, authorities have not released an official photo of El Mencho after he was killed. Grok confirmed this, saying “El Mencho (Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes) was killed yesterday in a Mexican military raid in Tapalpa, Jalisco. He was wounded, died en route to Mexico City. Confirmed by SEDENA, BBC, NYT, Reuters, CNN etc.” The AI chatbot shared more details about the alleged photo, saying "This photo—first leaked on Blog del Narco (with "presuntas imágenes")—shows his body on a stretcher, bloodied and bruised. Matches his known appearance; no official debunk. Plausibly real amid the confirmed death."
Another page shared the image and wrote “Multiple sources and online discussions are speculating that the individual in question could be Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, better known as 'El Mencho,' the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).”
What to know about El Mencho and how he was killed
El Mencho, 59, had ties with organized crime going back about three decades. He founded CJNG in 2009 and it became Mexico's fastest growing criminal organization. As per the DEA, it was on par with the Sinaloa cartel, and was one of the major suppliers of cocaine to the US. CJNG was known to make fentanyl and methamphetamines, as per law enforcement.
El Mencho was among four people killed, while three others were injured and later died while being moved to Mexico City.
It is believed that his death will leave the cartel searching for a new leader and experts believe this could weaken it to the Sinaloa cartel on several fronts. However, the Sinaloa cartel itself is locked in infighting between the sons of “El Chapo” and the faction loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
Mike Vigil, former chief of international operations for the DEA, noted this was an apt time to ramp up actions against cartels in Mexico. “This is a big opportunity for Mexico and the United States if they work together,” he said.
Meanwhile, security analyst David Saucedo warned that the violence could continue if El Mencho's family gained control of the cartel. They could launch ‘narcoterrorism attacks ... and generate a scenario similar to what Colombia lived in the 1990s’, he said, adding, there could be ‘car bombs, assassinations and attacks on aircraft.’
(With AP inputs)
