Situation Report: Cartel Violence in Mexico (Cutoff: 1200 ET, 24 Feb 2026)
The reported killing of CJNG leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”) in a Mexican special forces operation in Jalisco on 22 Feb 2026 triggered a rapid, coordinated retaliation pattern—narco-bloqueos (road blockades with burned vehicles), armed attacks on security forces, and localized clashes—with the epicenter in Jalisco and spillover effects into neighboring states; near-term risk is elevated for highways, security installations, and symbolic targets, with intermittent transport disruption and a credible possibility of follow-on reprisals as CJNG manages succession and signals capability.