El Mencho was the biggest kingpin left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The drug lord, whose real name was Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, had evaded capture for two decades, outlasting his rivals El Chapo<\/a> and El Mayo<\/a> and building his Jalisco New Generation Cartel into Mexico\u2019s most powerful criminal organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, over the weekend, his run came to an abrupt end, in part because of a romantic rendezvous<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The killing was a clear success for the Mexican authorities. The timing, however, seemed to be telling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n President Trump has been loudly and repeatedly demanding that Mexican officials dismantle the cartels that have amassed fortunes by sending drugs across the border. If they don\u2019t, he has threatened<\/a>, the U.S. military may do the job instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those threats appear to be having an effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p> "Mexico Is Caught Between Trump and the Cartels", \u2066@nytimes<\/a>\u2069 https:\/\/t.co\/XQUiRn4xkb<\/a><\/p>— Amb. Arturo Sarukhan (@Arturo_Sarukhan) February 25, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>