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In Brief
- Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho’, was killed on Sunday morning.
- Flights have been disrupted to parts of the country.
Australians are being urged to reconsider their travel plans to significant regions of Mexico due to a surge in violence following the demise of a prominent cartel leader.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through its Smartraveller website, issued a warning on Monday highlighting “serious security incidents” in Jalisco, notably in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. These incidents emerged after a federal law enforcement operation targeting organized crime.
Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have advised residents and visitors to remain indoors. Travelers should anticipate potential disruptions in transportation, including air travel, and are encouraged to stay vigilant and adhere to local government instructions.
This advisory comes in the wake of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, referred to as ‘El Mencho,’ losing his life during a military operation conducted on Sunday morning. The operation was partly a response to increasing pressure from the United States to crack down on drug-related activities.
According to Mexico’s defense minister, Oseguera sustained critical injuries during a confrontation with government forces in Jalisco and succumbed to his injuries en route to Mexico City. The ministry noted that the United States contributed “complementary information” for the operation.
Authorities in the nearby city of Puerto Vallarta issued a shelter-in-place order as cars were set on fire and masked gunmen barricaded roads in more than half a dozen states. All major events across the state of Jalisco have been cancelled and schools will be suspended on Monday, the state’s governor has said.
A former police officer, Oseguera was the shadowy leader of the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel, an operation named after the region it originates which is home to one of Mexico’s largest cities, Guadalajara.
The group quickly evolved into an international criminal enterprise which now rivals their former allies, the Sinaloa cartel. That cartel was headed by Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, who is in a US prison following his 2016 arrest.
The military operation against Oseguera follows a pressure campaign from the Trump administration on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government to ramp up its crackdown on drug trafficking, which has included the threat of US military action on Mexican soil.
“The operation for his arrest was led by the defence ministry, and he ended up being killed,” a government source familiar with the operation told the Reuters news agency.
US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau said Oseguera’s death was a “great development” for the US and Mexico, as well as the rest of Latin America.
The kingpin’s killing is a major victory for Mexico’s war on drug cartels that are responsible for smuggling billions of dollars in cocaine and fentanyl into the US.
Smartraveller urged Australians travelling Mexico to “exercise a high degree of caution” across the country due to the threat of violent crime.
“We also continue to advise reconsider your need to travel to the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Guanajuato, Sonora, Colima and Chiapas,” Smartraveller said.
“There are lower levels within some of these locations.”
Flights disrupted
US and Canadian airlines cancelled dozens of flights into parts of Mexico on Sunday due to the continuing violence in the region.
US carriers Alaska, United and Southwest, along with Canada’s WestJet and Air Canada, all announced the suspension of flights to locations including Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Manzanillo.
The Australian government advises that there may be continuing transport disruptions, including to air travel. They urge people in the region to stay alert and follow the advice of local authorities.
— With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse.
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