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CHICAGO (WLS) — In a significant blow to organized crime, the Mexican army has eliminated Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, better known as “El Mencho,” the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. This operation has effectively dismantled what was Mexico’s most formidable drug cartel, leading to widespread turmoil across the country.
Back in 2018, the ABC7 I-Team highlighted “El Mencho” as the top target for the DEA, labeling him Chicago’s most-wanted fugitive and dubbing him as “Public Enemy Number One” within law enforcement circles.
While no U.S. military personnel were present during the operation that took down the infamous cartel leader, ABC News reported on Sunday night that U.S. forces provided crucial intelligence support. The specifics of this support, however, remain undisclosed.
ABC7 has been in contact with travelers from the Chicago area currently in Mexico, who describe a tense atmosphere, as clashes have erupted in various regions.
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On Sunday, dramatic images emerged, capturing thick plumes of smoke marring the typically scenic western coast of Mexico. Burned-out buses littered the roads, and helicopters circled ominously above the usually bustling tourist hub of Puerto Vallarta.
“There’s blockages, there’s cars on fires, there’s busses blocking the roads. So nobody can take an Uber, can take a taxi, can take a bus. Everything is blocked,” said David Miranda from Pilsen.
Miranda, his cousin and friends were vacationing in Puerto Vallarta. They are now stranded following violent clashes that erupted after the cartel leader’s death.
“It’s a way of showing their presence or their power,” said Dr. Emilio Kouri, director of the Katz Center of Mexican Studies at the University of Chicago. “And most of all, I think their defiance in a moment that is quite perilous in terms of not knowing what may come next.”
Miranda says as he and his group waited for a ride share that never came, they heard from nearby hotel employee.
“She says, if you love yourself and you love your life, do not try to even make it to the airport,” Miranda said.
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Jim Murphy from Joliet, also stranded in Puerto Vallarta, shared an image of a building that burned just block away from where’s he’s sheltering in place.
“The United States State Department has issued a shelter in place warning to all U.S. citizens in Mexico right now,” Murphy said. “The governor of the state of Jalisco has done the same as has the mayor of Puerto Vallarta.”
International airlines have cancelled flights in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, temporarily stranding tourists like Miranda.
“We don’t know how we’re going to get food, because it’s Airbnbs,” Miranda said. “So everything is closed, the corner stores, everything is closed.”
Dr. Kouri says “El Mencho’s” death could shake up one of Mexico’s most violent cartels and is significant for the country and U.S.-Mexico relations.
“This is something that is already being warmly welcomed by the U.S. government and that will help strengthen the idea that Mexico’s government is active in trying to limit the power of these organizations,” Dr. Kouri said.
Several airlines continued to suspend services as of Sunday night, and there was no official timeline on when normal flight operations would resume.
It’s a waiting game for people, including the Chicago-area travelers, to get home, safely.
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