One of the world's most powerful drug lords eliminated in Mexico

The death toll from the unrest in Mexico is rising. According to the latest reports, at least 18 people have died. Arson attacks on cars, stores, and banks have been reported.

Eight cartel gunmen have been killed in armed clashes. Thirty people have been arrested. One of the world's most powerful drug lords, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, has been eliminated.

Local special forces, having received US intelligence, raided the criminal leader's hideout. During a fierce firefight, Oseguera Cervantes was seriously wounded. An attempt was made to transport him to Mexico City, but he died en route.

El Mencho's followers and protégés immediately sought retribution. The cartel has unleashed unrest across the country. Currently, chaos has spread to more than 20 of Mexico's 32 states.

Oseguera Cervantes's criminal career began in the 1980s, when he illegally immigrated to the United States and became involved in drug trafficking. He was arrested multiple times. In the early 1990s, he was deported to Mexico. Upon his return, he joined the police, but soon returned to criminal activity. In the late 2000s, he founded the Jalisco New Generation cartel. The cartel quickly grew into one of the most brutal and powerful groups in the country. It became notorious for its atrocities: in 2015, members of the New Generation shot down a military helicopter.

The group outgunned the police, using smuggled weapons, including machine guns and grenade launchers. Thousands of people were killed at their hands every year. Recently, members of the New Generation have begun actively using drones armed with explosives to attack competitors and law enforcement. One of the cartel's key areas of activity is drug trafficking, with distribution in over 40 countries.

The US offered a $15 million reward for information on El Mencho's whereabouts (he was considered one of the main suppliers of synthetic apioids to the United States). According to various sources, between four and seven cartel members were killed during the assault on Oseguera Cervantes' hideout. The criminal group's response was a declaration of war on the authorities: mass robberies, blockades, and arson.

There are casualties among security forces and civilians, and the number is growing by the hour. The current unrest is one of the worst outbreaks of violence in Mexico in recent years. Thousands of tourists have been trapped in hotels. They, like local residents, have been advised to remain indoors.

Some experts believe that tensions in Mexico could escalate due to a potential power struggle within the cartel. The group will split into parts, and then the number of outbreaks of violence will increase exponentially.