The deadly violence sparked by the military killing of an infamous cartel leader has now spread widely across Mexico, as American citizens near the border were warned to shelter in place.
At least 20 of Mexico’s 31 states have seen violent clashes in the wake of the death of the country’s most wanted man, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Cervantes — better known as “El Mencho” — died in custody Sunday, shortly after Mexican special forces captured him in Tapalpa, Jalisco state.
The notorious drug kingpin was seriously injured in a firefight between military commandos and his bodyguards and died from his injuries en route to Mexico City.
Cartel members responded to his death by declaring war on the Mexican government of socialist Claudia Sheinbaum, shutting down Jalisco’s state capital, Guadalajara — the country’s second-largest city — as they engaged in running gun battles with authorities.
Violence spread quickly along the west coast, reaching up to the US border with California. At least 30 people have been declared dead, with more feared.
In Puerto Vallarta, just south of the border, US citizens were issued a stay-in-place order, as narco gangs unleashed their bloody rampage on the resort town.
Terrifying footage from across Mexico shows torched buildings and vehicles, while panicked lines of tourists are seen trying to flee the country at multiple airports
President Sheinbaum appealed for peace on Monday, addressing the media for the first time since “El Mencho’s” death.
“The most important thing right now is to guarantee peace and security for the entire population of all of Mexico,” she told a press conference.
“Today, there is already more calm, and there is government, there are armed forces, there is a security cabinet, and there is a lot of coordination,” Sheinbaum said, looking to reassure the country.
“Peace, security, and normalcy are being maintained in the country,” she added.
Mexico’s Secretary of National Defense thanked the US for its help in the operation that killed “El Mencho.”
According to the White House, the US provided intelligence support for the operation.
“We also benefited from US institutions and intelligence agencies, and this allowed us to dismantle the information networks of El Mencho and to proceed with the arrest operation,” General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo told a news conference Monday.
“As you know, the intelligence process is very complex. It requires a lot of time. One has to gather a lot of clues and information from various different sources,” he added.
Mexico has “been in very close contact with the US Armed Forces Well in this area,” Trejo said.
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