Who is El Mencho, the Mexican Cartel Boss with a Fully Equipped Army?

Illustration of Mexican federal police. (Wikimedia Commons/Gioabreflo)

YOGYAKARTA - The public knows who El Mencho is as the boss of the drug cartel in Mexico. Later he was reported to have died on Sunday, February 22, 2026. However, the figure of El Mencho is not just a drug cartel boss. This article will provide information related to the figure of El Mencho.

Who is El Mencho?

El Mencho is Mexico's most notorious drug lord. He has the real name Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes and is a former policeman. The 59-year-old comes from the Michoacan region in the west.

When he was young, El Mencho migrated to the United States but he was convicted of involvement in the distribution of heroin. He was eventually jailed in 1994 for three years.

After being released from an US prison, El Mencho returned to Mexico and resumed his work as a dealer. He joined a drug lord named Ignacio Coronel Villareal, aka "Nacho Coronel". However, after his boss died, El Mencho finally went it alone.

El Mencho's reputation is not as well known as the Sinaloa cartel, namely Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. However, in Mexico, El Mencho is known as the leader of the country's strongest criminal organization, known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The organization was founded in 2009.

Quoted from The Guardian, CJNG is indeed quite feared in Mexico. They are known for often showing extreme acts of violence. In addition, they also have complete firearms with troops that even approach professional military.

The CJNG is considered a criminal organization that has grown rapidly in Jalisco, a state in western Mexico bordering the Pacific Ocean. The organization also controls at least 21 of Mexico's 32 states.

Not only that, El Mencho and his organization became smugglers of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, even smuggling people into the United States (US).

El Mencho's organizational strength is high, supported by the massive recruitment of gang members. They even recruit members through the internet. In addition, they also have quite sophisticated weapons ranging from drones, homemade bombs, to daring to attack police officers.

One of the actions that caught attention was in 2020 when the CJNG gang attempted to attack the head of the Mexico City Police, Omar García Harfuch. Although it failed, the attack was labeled as a reckless and dangerous attack.

That's the information regarding who El Mencho is. Visit VOI.id to get other interesting information.