CJNG leadership shifts following death of ‘El Mencho’

Six months after the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho’, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has undergone significant leadership restructuring and operational setbacks. Oseguera Cervantes died following a February 22, 2026, military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, involving the Mexican Army, National Guard, and U.S. intelligence agencies.

U.S. intelligence services have identified Juan Carlos Valencia González, also known as ‘El 03’ or ‘El Pelón’, as the new absolute leader of the CJNG. Valencia González, the stepson of Oseguera Cervantes, now commands an organization estimated to have between 15,000 and 20,000 members operating across multiple Mexican states, including Jalisco, Nayarit, Colima, Veracruz, Guanajuato, Puebla, Querétaro, and Hidalgo.

In addition to the leadership transition, authorities have dismantled key parts of the cartel's hierarchy. Recent operations led to the detention of Audias Flores Silva, alias ‘El Jardinero’, a potential successor, and Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, alias ‘El R1’. The CJNG remains a primary rival to the Sinaloa Cartel and is considered a major entity in the trafficking of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States.