El Mencho or Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the feared leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed after a Mexican military operation on Sunday. His death has sparked off social media chatter, with many drawing comparisons to Pablo Escobar, the leader of the Medellin cartel in Colombia.
Following El Mencho's death, there was a wave of unrest reported. Vehicles were burned and armed gunmen were reported to be blocking highways in multiple states across Mexico. The response was one of the factors that triggered comparisons with Escobar.
Track live updates from Mexico after El Mencho's death
El Mencho-Pablo Escobar comparisons
On X one person wrote “After Pablo Escobar, the most powerful drug lord in Mexico CJNG leader “El Mencho” has been killed by the army,” attaching a photo of the two side-by-side.
Another remarked “Looks like El Mencho was a knock off Pablo Escobar, this damage is not more than what a political damage usually is. No wonder their weak head got killed like that, someone else will replace him. Guadalajara deserves powerful men not weak ones,” while sharing a visual of the alleged unrest after the Mexican drug lord's death.
{{/usCountry}}Another remarked “Looks like El Mencho was a knock off Pablo Escobar, this damage is not more than what a political damage usually is. No wonder their weak head got killed like that, someone else will replace him. Guadalajara deserves powerful men not weak ones,” while sharing a visual of the alleged unrest after the Mexican drug lord's death.
{{/usCountry}}Yet another remarked “Pablo Escobar’s death in 1993 led to years of violence as rivals fought for control. El Chapo’s capture created power vacuums twice. History says El Mencho’s death won’t end CJNG - it’ll fracture it into something potentially worse.” Many wondered who was next after El Mencho was taken down.
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Another person shared a video of alleged members of the CJNG. “He was the equivalent of Pablo Escobar, perhaps with even more power,” the person remarked.
El Mencho and Escobar have drawn comparisons because they both built feared cartels, were known for brutal tactics, and their members often used paramilitary tactics.
What to know about Jalisco cartel
El Mencho's Jalisco cartel has been known for attacks on the military, including helicopters. They got a reputation for aggression as they managed to launch explosives from drones and plant mines as part of their operations.
In 2020, the CJNG tried to carry out an operation involving grenades and high-powered rifles in the heart of Mexico City when they attempted to kill the then head of the capital’s police force. As per the DEA, the CJNG is as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, one of the most infamous criminal groups out of Mexico.
CJNG is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the US market and also makes its money from producing fentanyl and methamphetamines. While compared with the Sinaloa cartel, it'd be important to note that the latter has suffered losses along the way including infighting after the loss of leaders like Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who are now both in custody. Now, with CJNG's leader out of the picture it remains to be seen where the feared Mexican cartel stands.