Cartel leader's death leads to violence across Mexico
By: Lauren Villagran
and Kathryn Palmer
USA Today
..... Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said February 23 [2026] that normal activity had resumed following a day of violence in several regions of her country.
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"Today, [02/23/2026] there is tranquility," she said, adding that peace had been secured and blockages largely cleared.
..... The unrest was triggered by the February 22 [2026] killing of a powerful cartel leader in a military operation.
..... Nemesio Oseguera, commonly known as "El Mencho," was Mexico's most-wanted cartel leader, with a $15 million bounty for information leading to his capture. he rose through the ranks and launched a deadly coup to become the leader of the Jalisco New Geneation Cartel, or CJNG. The criminal enterprise rapidly grew into a continent-spanning empire that rivaled its former allies the Sinaloa Cartel, run by kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, who is serving life in prison.
..... Oseguera's death triggered waves of violence across Mexico as cartel operatives carried out revenge attacks Gunmen suspected to be his supporters blocked highways across several states and set cars and businesses ablaze.
.... Mexico Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said that 25 members of the National Guard and one security guard died in cartel attacks on February 22. [2026]
..... The violence prompted the U.S. State Department it issue a security warning advising Americans in several Mexican states to "shelter in place" until further notice.
..... The advisories covered the state of Jalisco, Baja California, Quintana Roo and areas of the state of Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Nuevo Leon and Tamulipas. that includes some of Mexico's most popular international vacation spots and destinations for Americans, including the cities and coastal resorts of Puerto Vararta, Guadalajara, Tijuana, Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
..... Several airlines, including Air Canada, United Airlines and Aeromexico, canceled flights to Puerto Valllarta when the violence and security alerts went into effect on February 22. [2026] Sheinbaum said flights would resume between February 23 and 24. [2026]
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A new U.S. military-led task force specializing in intelligence, collection on drug cartel played a role in the Mexican military raid, a U.S. defense official told Reuters.
..... The Joint Inter-agency Task force-Counter Cartel, which involves multiple U.S. government entities, was quietly launched late in 2025 with the goal of mapping networks of drug cartel members on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. officials said.
..... The U.S. official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, did not offer further details on any information that the task force may have offered Mexican authorities. The official stressed there aid itself was a Mexican military operation.
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on social Media that the United States provided intelligence support. Leavitt added hat the Trump administration "commends and thanks the Mexican military for their cooperation and successful execution of this operation."
..... In a socla meida post February 23, [2026] Persident Donald Trump briefy commented on the unrest in Mexico.
..... "Mexico must step up their effort o Cartels and Drugs!" Trump wrote.
..... Contributing: Reuters