2026 Mexico cartel unrest

2026 Mexico cartel unrest
Part of the aftermath of the 2026 Jalisco operation
and the Mexican drug war
Date22–23 February 2026 (2026-02-22 – 2026-02-23)
(1 day)
Location
Mexico
Result Mexican government victory
Belligerents
 Jalisco New Generation Cartel
Commanders and leaders
  • Hugo César Macías Ureña "El Tuli" †
  • Heraclio Guerrero Martínez "Tío Lako"
Units involved
 Jalisco New Generation Cartel
Casualties and losses
  • 25 National Guard members killed[1]
    1 Jalisco state prosecutor agent killed
    1 jail guard killed
  • 3 soldiers injured[2]
 ~32 killed, several arrested[1][3][4]
2 civilians killed[1]

The 2026 Mexico cartel unrest was a wave of violence, blockades, arson and clashes across multiple Mexican states on 22 and 23 February 2026, following the killing of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. Cartel members and affiliated groups set up roadblocks using hijacked and burning vehicles, attacked businesses, gas stations and security installations, and stormed a prison in Puerto Vallarta from which 23 inmates escaped. The federal security cabinet recorded 252 roadblocks across 20 states.

Twenty-five members of the National Guard were killed, along with an agent of the Jalisco state prosecutor's office, a custodial officer and two civilians; around 30 suspected cartel members also died. Hugo César Macías Ureña, alias "El Tuli", identified by authorities as Oseguera's right-hand man in Jalisco and as the coordinator of the retaliation, was killed by security forces at El Grullo later the same day. Classes were suspended across several states, public transport in the Guadalajara metropolitan area was halted, and Puerto Vallarta International Airport cancelled all international flights. Business groups estimated commercial losses of between 1.5 and 2 billion pesos.

Background

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho" has been the head of CJNG since its formation. He was the most wanted person in Mexico and was one of the most wanted criminals in the United States at the time of his death. The U.S. and Mexican governments were offering rewards of up to US$15 million and MXN$300 million, respectively, for information leading to his arrest. On 22 February 2026, Oseguera was seriously wounded during a Mexican military operation and died while being transported to Mexico City.

Timeline

22 February

Within hours of the operation in Tapalpa, members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) began obstructing roads with hijacked cargo trucks, buses and private vehicles, many of them set on fire.[5][6] The federal security cabinet ultimately recorded 252 roadblocks in Jalisco and 19 other states, among them Michoacán, Guanajuato, Colima, Tamaulipas, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Sinaloa, Baja California, the State of Mexico, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Veracruz.[5][7][8][9] Jalisco accounted for 65 of the closures.[8]

Arson attacks accompanied the blockades. Vehicles, businesses and gas stations were set alight in Puerto Vallarta, and more than 70 attacks were reported across 23 municipalities of Guanajuato, including 60 cases of arson.[10] Fifty Banco del Bienestar branches were damaged, and FEMSA reported that more than 200 Oxxo convenience stores had been affected.[11][12]

Security forces were attacked directly. At about 2:45 p.m., a car bomb detonated in San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco, killing Captain Leonel Cardoso Gómez, coordinator of the National Guard's Highway and Facilities Security Battalion based in Aguascalientes, and injuring several officers as they approached a suspicious vehicle.[13] A separate vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near a National Guard installation, damaging the structure and injuring personnel; Milenio reported that federal authorities attributed the attack to Hugo Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytán, alias "El Sapo".[14]

An armed group attacked the state prison at Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta, ramming a vehicle through the main gate and opening fire, which set off a riot inside. Twenty-three inmates escaped and a custodial officer was killed.[15][16]

The Governor of Jalisco, Pablo Lemus Navarro, declared a Code Red alert for the state.[17]

Later that day, security forces located Hugo César Macías Ureña, alias "El Tuli", at El Grullo, Jalisco. Authorities had identified him as Oseguera's right-hand man in the state and as the figure coordinating the retaliation, and said he had offered up to MX$20,000 for each soldier killed.[18][19] An aeromobile unit of the Brigada de Fusileros Paracaidistas attempted to apprehend him. He tried to flee by vehicle and opened fire on the troops, who returned fire and killed him.[18][20][21][22]

23 February

Federal authorities reported that roughly 90 per cent of the previous day's roadblocks had been cleared, although isolated blockades and vehicle burnings continued in parts of Jalisco, including the municipalities of Autlán and Cihuatlán, and some federal and state highways remained intermittently obstructed by debris and abandoned vehicles.[23][24]

Impact

Transportation disruptions

Bus and urban rail services in the Guadalajara metropolitan area were temporarily suspended following the outbreak of coordinated violence. State authorities halted the public transport network, including city bus routes, the Mi Macro Periférico and the Sistema de Tren Eléctrico Urbano lines, citing security risks after vehicles were set ablaze and major roads were blocked.[25] Long-distance services departing from the Central de Autobuses del Norte in Mexico City cancelled departures to western states, including Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, and Aguascalientes, due to highway closures.[26]

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), operator of Puerto Vallarta International Airport, reported that all international operations and the majority of domestic flights were cancelled following the outbreak of violence, with airlines citing security concerns and uncertainty regarding access routes to the airport. Airlines cancelling flights included Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, WestJet, Porter Airlines, and Volaris.[27][28][29][30] Airport authorities said that no violent incidents occurred inside the terminal itself and that the facilities remained under the protection of federal security forces.[31] GAP also reported that Guadalajara International Airport was operating normally without flight cancellations or security incidents, and passengers were advised to monitor transportation conditions and stay in close contact with their airlines, as highway blockades and violence affected access routes to the airports.[31]

Casualties

Twenty-five members of the National Guard were killed in six separate attacks in Jalisco, among them Captain Leonel Cardoso Gómez, who was killed by a car bomb in San Juan de los Lagos.[1][32] Around 30 suspected cartel members were killed in Jalisco and four in Michoacán.[1] An agent of the Jalisco state prosecutor's office and a custodial officer were also killed.[1]

Two civilians died. An unidentified woman was killed during the clashes, and a two-year-old boy died on 12 April 2026 of burns sustained in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, when the convenience store he was in was attacked during the unrest.[1][33]

A cargo truck driver, Bulmaro Herrera Bandala, disappeared during the blockades; on 7 March 2026 the Veracruz state prosecutor's office requested an arrest warrant in connection with the case.[34]

Economic loses

The Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco Servytur) estimated preliminary losses of between 1.5 and 2 billion pesos, covering property damage, looting, lost merchandise and revenue forgone while businesses were closed.[35][36] The organisation said around 400,000 commercial establishments closed temporarily, of which roughly 90 per cent had reopened by 24 February.[35]

Education and public services

The Jalisco Secretariat of Education suspended classes at all levels in public and private schools on 23 February as a precautionary measure.[37][38] Several other states suspended or moved classes online, and the University of Guanajuato shifted its upper secondary and higher education teaching to distance learning to avoid travel between municipalities.[38] Most states resumed classes on 24 February.[39]

Effect on foreign nationals

The Embassy of the United States, Mexico City, sent out a security alert telling United States citizens in multiple states to shelter in place.[40] The foreign ministries of Australia,[41] New Zealand,[42] France,[43] the United Kingdom,[44] Canada,[45] and Indonesia[46] issued similar alerts.

The U.S. State Department set up a 24/7 crisis hotline on 22 February to support US citizens impacted by the unrest in Mexico. The hotline received hundreds of calls after several American airlines suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta.[47]

More than 1,000 visitors were stranded overnight at the Guadalajara Zoo.[1]

Arrests and prosecutions

In Jalisco, 41 people were detained in connection with the blockades. On 25 February, 18 of them were remanded to the Puente Grande prison on charges relating to looting and vandalism of businesses.[48]

On 24 February, eleven police officers, ten from Jalisco and one from Ecuandureo, Michoacán, were detained on suspicion of having taken part in the blockades and vehicle burnings. Investigators alleged that the officers had used a WhatsApp group to pass operational information to the cartel, including patrol movements of state and federal forces. A judge later granted them conditional release with the proceedings suspended, subject to supervision and restrictions.[49]

Of the 23 inmates who escaped the Puerto Vallarta prison on 22 February, four were recaptured on 26 February in the El Colorado neighbourhood of Puerto Vallarta by the Secretariat of the Navy. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said the search for the remaining 19 continued.[50] The recaptured inmates were subsequently charged.[34]

Misinformation and disinformation

During the retaliatory attacks, a substantial wave of disinformation spread across social media. According to experts interviewed by Reuters and the Associated Press, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and affiliated online networks were responsible for circulating disinformation that exaggerated the scale of the violence.[51][52] Widely shared false claims included reports that the Guadalajara International Airport was "taken over by assassins", that "[s]moke was billowing from a church and multiple buildings in the city of Puerto Vallarta", and that tourists had been taken hostage. Other viral posts alleged that President Claudia Sheinbaum had been evacuated to a naval vessel, claimed without evidence that Oseguera was still alive or had been killed for political reasons, or asserted that United States agents had been directly involved in the operation.[53][54][55]

A report by the Digital Media Observatory at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education found that hundreds of false or unverified posts circulated in the two days following Oseguera's death, many amplified by bots and AI-generated content without context or verification. According to the data, 35-40% of the posts lacked context, 25% were misleading, and 25% were manipulated using artificial intelligence or entirely fabricated.[53] Some misleading posts were also amplified by accounts in the United States and high-reach social media profiles on platforms like X.[54]

Experts interviewed by Reuters said the messaging appeared aimed at projecting an image that the Mexican government had lost control. One analyst stated that while the operation represented a tactical success for security forces, organized crime groups and their online allies were able to shift public attention "away from the (military raid) to chaos," contributing to public confusion and fear.[51]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "25 Mexican National Guard troops left dead during an operation that killed CJNG cartel leader 'El Mencho'". Associated Press. 23 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  2. ↑ "La captura y muerte de Nemesio Oseguera, 'El Mencho', en vivo El operativo deja siete narcotraficantes muertos y al menos tres militares heridos" [The capture and death of Nemesio Oseguera, 'El Mencho', live The operation leaves seven drug traffickers dead and at least three soldiers wounded] (in Spanish). El País. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  3. ↑ @GobiernoJalisco (22 February 2026). "#AVISOIMPORTANTE" [#IMPORTANTNOTICE] (Tweet). Retrieved 22 February 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  4. ↑ "La Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional informa sobre una operación para la detención de Rubén "N" (a) Mencho" [The Ministry of National Defense reports on an operation to arrest Rubén "N" (a) Mencho] (in Spanish). Federal government of Mexico. 22 February 2026. Archived from the original on 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  5. 1 2 Sánchez, Nallely (22 February 2026). "Tras muerte de El Mencho narcobloqueos paralizaron Jalisco, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, Colima, Nayarit, Aguascalientes y más estados". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  6. ↑ "Mexican army kills leader of Jalisco New Generation Cartel, official says". CTV News. 22 February 2026. Archived from the original on 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  7. ↑ Janetsky, Megan; Verza, María (23 February 2026). "Security forces keep up fight with cartel gunmen a day after the Mexican military killed a drug lord". AP News. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  8. 1 2 Marlo, Mario (24 February 2026). "Tras muerte de "El Mencho", CJNG responde con 252 narcobloqueos en 20 estados; Guadalajara intenta volver a la normalidad" [After the death of "El Mencho", CJNG responds with 252 narcoblockades in 20 states; Guadalajara tries to return to normal]. Somos el Medio (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "15 estados del país reportan bloqueos y violencia tras muerte del 'Mencho': Cobertura EN VIVO". El Financiero (in Spanish). 22 February 2026. Archived from the original on 22 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  10. ↑ Padilla, Jesús (22 February 2026). "CJNG paraliza la mitad de Guanajuato: reportan más de 70 ataques en 23 municipios tras operativo contra "El Mencho"" [CJNG paralyzes half of Guanajuato: more than 70 attacks reported in 23 municipalities after operation against "El Mencho"] (in Spanish). Latinus. Archived from the original on 23 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  11. ↑ Carbajal, Braulio (23 February 2026). "Femsa reporta 200 tiendas Oxxo afectadas tras ola de violencia por abatimiento de 'El Mencho'". La Jornada (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  12. ↑ "Sucursales del Banco de Bienestar son atacadas tras muerte El Mencho". Grupo Milenio (in Spanish). 22 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  13. ↑ "Coche-bomba mata al capitán Leonel Cardoso de la Guardia Nacional en Jalisco" [Car bomb kills Captain Leonel Cardoso of the National Guard in Jalisco]. Zeta Tijuana (in Spanish). 24 February 2026. Archived from the original on 24 February 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Martínez, Jorge (26 February 2026). "'El Sapo', responsable del ataque a Guardia Nacional en Jalisco". Grupo Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  15. ↑ "CJNG libera a 23 reos del Penal de Vallarta tras muerte del 'Mencho'". El Financiero (in Spanish). 23 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  16. ↑ Soriano, Rodrigo (24 February 2026). "Las autoridades confirman la fuga de 23 reos en Puerto Vallarta tras la caída del Mencho". El País México (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 26 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  17. ↑ Villasana, Joe (22 February 2026). "'We remain in Code Red': Tourists evacuated as drug cartel retaliates for killing of drug lord 'El Mencho'". KWTX-TV. Archived from the original on 22 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  18. 1 2 Graham, Thomas; Holmes, Oliver; Phillips, Tom (24 February 2026). "Mexican drug cartel boss 'El Mencho' tracked through romantic partner". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  19. ↑ "¿Quién es 'El Tuli', hombre de confianza de 'El Mencho' que ofrecía 20 mil pesos por asesinar a soldados?" [Who is 'El Tuli', 'El Mencho's' trusted man who offered 20,000 pesos to kill soldiers?]. El Financiero (in Spanish). 23 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  20. ↑ Silverman, Hollie (23 February 2026). "Leading Cartel Member 'El Tuli' Killed in Jalisco After 'El Mencho' Death". Newsweek. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  21. ↑ Jiménez, Xavier (23 February 2026). "El Tuli del CJNG: Historial criminal del narcotraficante" [CJNG's El Tuli: the drug trafficker's criminal record]. Grupo Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  22. ↑ "Qué pasó con 'el Tuli', mano derecha del Mencho que ordenó los narcobloqueos en Jalisco y estados" [What happened to 'El Tuli', El Mencho's right-hand man who ordered the narcoblockades in Jalisco and other states]. ADNPolítico (in Spanish). 23 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  23. ↑ "Arson attacks and narco-blockades continue in Jalisco as CJNG responds to El Mencho's death". Mexico News Daily. 2026-02-24. Retrieved 2026-02-28.
  24. ↑ Saldaña, Iván Evair (2026-02-24). "Continúan parcialmente cerradas rutas y vías en 4 estados tras jornada violenta por muerte de 'El Mencho'". La Jornada (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-02-28.
  25. ↑ "Suspenden servicio de transporte público en Jalisco tras narcobloqueos". Grupo Milenio (in Spanish). 22 February 2026. Archived from the original on 23 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  26. ↑ Cirel, Alexa (22 February 2026). "Caos en la Central del Norte: suspenden corridas al occidente tras muerte de "El Mencho"". infobae (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 23 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  27. ↑ Ryan, Denise (22 February 2026). "Puerto Vallarta airport closed, Canada issues travel advisory as cartel conflict spreads". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 23 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  28. ↑ "Violence erupts in Mexico amid military operation that reportedly killed cartel leader". CBS News. 22 February 2026. Archived from the original on 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  29. ↑ @AirCanada (22 February 2026). "Due to an ongoing security situation in Puerto Vallarta impacting the @VallartaAirport, Air Canada has temporarily suspended operations there today. We are monitoring the situation and in contact with local authorities who are working to resolve the issue. (1/2)" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 February 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  30. ↑ "Volaris y Air Canada cancelan sus vuelos en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Puerto Vallarta ante la violencia". LatinUS (in Spanish). 22 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  31. 1 2 G. Partida, Juan Carlos (22 February 2026). "Aeropuerto de Guadalajara sigue operando pese a hechos de violencia en Jalisco". La Jornada (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  32. ↑ "Coche-bomba mata al capitán Leonel Cardoso de la Guardia Nacional en Jalisco". Zeta Tijuana.
  33. ↑ Juárez, Tania (12 April 2026). "Muere Henry, niño de 2 años que sufrió quemaduras tras ataque a tienda de Chalco". El Heraldo de México (in Spanish).
  34. 1 2 "Piden orden de aprehensión por transportista desaparecido en bloqueos del CJNG; procesan a reos fugados en Vallarta" [Arrest warrant sought over trucker who disappeared in CJNG blockades; escaped Vallarta inmates prosecuted]. La Jornada (in Spanish). 7 March 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  35. 1 2 Sustaita, Sharon (24 February 2026). "Concanaco Servytur alerta por pérdidas millonarias tras bloqueos del CJNG" [Concanaco Servytur warns of losses in the millions after CJNG blockades]. SDP Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  36. ↑ "Concanaco estima en 2,000 millones de pesos pérdidas por narcobloqueos tras caída de "El Mencho"" [Concanaco estimates losses of 2 billion pesos from narcoblockades after the fall of "El Mencho"]. Formato Siete (in Spanish). 24 February 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  37. ↑ Torres, Martha (22 February 2026). "Jalisco suspende clases por narcobloqueos; violencia afecta al menos ocho estados" [Jalisco suspends classes over narcoblockades; violence affects at least eight states]. SDP Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  38. 1 2 "Lista completa de estados que cancelaron clases por violencia tras muerte de 'El Mencho'" [Complete list of states that cancelled classes over violence after the death of 'El Mencho']. El Financiero (in Spanish). 22 February 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  39. ↑ "De vuelta al salón: Estados reanudan clases este martes 24 de febrero tras ola de violencia por 'El Mencho'" [Back to the classroom: states resume classes on Tuesday 24 February after wave of violence over 'El Mencho']. El Financiero (in Spanish). 23 February 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  40. ↑ "Security Alert – Ongoing Security Operations – U.S. Mission Mexico (February 22, 2026)". Embassy of the United States, Mexico City. 22 February 2026. Archived from the original on 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  41. ↑ "'Serious incidents': Australians issued fresh travel warning amid Mexico cartel violence". SBS News. 23 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  42. ↑ "Warning to Kiwis in Mexico after drug lord's killing". NZ Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  43. ↑ "Situation Sécuritaire – Retour progressif au calme après les opérations de sécurité du 22/02/2026". Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  44. ↑ Calder, Simon (23 February 2026). "Foreign Office issues Mexico travel warning after drug cartel violence". The Independent. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  45. ↑ "More than 26,000 Canadians registered in Mexico, Anand says, as country reels from wave of violence". CBC.ca. 23 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  46. ↑ "Imbauan terkait Situasi Keamanan di Meksiko Pasca Operasi Militer terhadap Kartel CJNG". Kementerian Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia (in Indonesian). 22 April 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  47. ↑ Symons, Todd (23 February 2026). "Eight cartel members killed in military operation, Mexico's defense secretary says". CNN. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  48. ↑ González Corona, Lino (25 February 2026). "A prisión, otros 18 detenidos tras narcobloqueos; a estos se les acusa por actos de rapiña" [Another 18 detained after narcoblockades sent to prison; they are accused of looting]. La Crónica de Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  49. ↑ Arrieta, Carlos (23 February 2026). "Liberan a 11 policías ligados a narcobloqueos en Michoacán tras abatimiento de "El Mencho"; juez impone vigilancia y restricciones" [Eleven police linked to narcoblockades in Michoacán released after the killing of "El Mencho"; judge imposes supervision and restrictions]. El Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  50. ↑ Arellano García, César (26 February 2026). "Detienen a 4 reos fugados del penal de Puerto Vallarta durante violencia por muerte de 'El Mencho'" [Four inmates who escaped the Puerto Vallarta prison during the violence over the death of 'El Mencho' are detained]. La Jornada (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  51. 1 2 Gottesdiener, Laura; Eschenbacher, Stefanie (24 February 2026). "After killing of top drug lord, cartels use fake news to spread fear in Mexico". Reuters. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  52. ↑ "Online disinformation fueled panic after the killing of Mexico's most powerful drug lord". AP News. 2026-02-25. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
  53. 1 2 "Online disinformation fueled panic after killing of Mexican drug lord". POLITICO. 2026-02-25. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
  54. 1 2 Rodríguez, Andrés (2026-02-25). "The use of AI and 'bots' behind the wave of digital disinformation about the fall of El Mencho". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
  55. ↑ "Fake fires, real fear: Debunking the lies that went viral after 'El Mencho' fell". Mexico News Daily. 2026-02-26. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
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