Cartel Boss Dead: Are Belizeans in Mexico Safe?

Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the powerful head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and one of the world’s most-wanted traffickers, died Sunday following a Mexican military operation in Jalisco, Mexico.

El Mencho, a former police officer, led CJNG as it grew into what the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has called one of the “most powerful and ruthless criminal organisations” in Mexico. During the raid, cartel members exchanged fire with government forces, leaving four gang members dead. El Mencho and two bodyguards were seriously injured and later died while being transported by aircraft to Mexico City, officials said.

Violence erupted across twenty states in the aftermath, with buses and businesses torched, flights suspended in Puerto Vallarta, and schools closed. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum insisted the country was calm, saying, “We work every day for the peace, security, justice, and well-being of Mexico.” She added that “activities are proceeding normally” in most of the country, even as National Guard troops came under attack.

Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico, Oliver Arnold, said the raid was months in the making and involved multiple branches of Mexico’s security forces. He explained that the violence which followed was not unexpected. “Whenever a high-level narco boss or don has been arrested or captured in the past, there’s always these spikes of violence, these outbursts of violence by his supporters and followers,” Arnold told News Five.

He added that Belizeans in Mexico should remain cautious but calm. “We have quite a few students all over Mexico, and we’ve been reassuring them… they can attend school, go do their shopping and go back home, but try to stay off the street because you never know if there would be any individuals who would want to take advantage,” he said.

The Belizean government issued a travel advisory warning citizens to avoid highways in affected states. “Yesterday afternoon, the travel advisory came out because again of the outburst of violence in these areas, warning Belizeans to try to avoid or not to travel on the highways in and out of these areas because of the blockages,” Arnold said.

For Belizeans in Mexico, the violence has been deeply unsettling. One student posted on TikTok: “Oh girls, sadly I won’t be going to study in Guadalajara because of the situation happening right now. Honestly, it’s a good thing I didn’t take the early flight, because there’s a video — well, several videos — circulating showing how shootings started at the Guadalajara airport.” She explained that her teacher advised cancelling classes. “Since our teacher advised us not to go to the city, I won’t continue the trip. I’m going back to Belize instead, since I won’t be taking the course.”

CNN reports that a U.S. defence official said a task force “played a role” in the operation but added, “However, I want to emphasise that this was a (Mexican military) operation, so the success is theirs.”