❓WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) issued a warning to residents regarding travel to Mexico after the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes has led to violent attacks across the country.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Abbott, the Mexican military, and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Abbott’s warning was made on Sunday, February 22, just hours after El Mencho was killed during an attempted apprehension.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Texans’ safety is my top priority, whether they are here at home or traveling abroad. I urge all Texans in Mexico to follow the guidance of U.S. officials, stay alert, and ensure that they are in contact with the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate.” – Greg Abbott
🎯IMPACT: The death of the cartel leader has sparked increased violence in Mexico, prompting warnings for Texans traveling abroad.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) is warning Texans not to travel to Mexico and for those living along the United States-Mexican border to remain vigilant in the wake of increased drug cartel violence following the death of Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an attempted apprehension in the state of Jalisco over the weekend. “Texans’ safety is my top priority, whether they are here at home or traveling abroad,” Abbott said in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. He added, “I urge all Texans in Mexico to follow the guidance of U.S. officials, stay alert, and ensure that they are in contact with the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate.”
The U.S. State Department is urging all Americans currently in Mexico to shelter in place until Mexican military forces are able to regain control of the situation. CJNG—one of the most well-armed cartel groups—operates more as an umbrella for several smaller cartels, and the death of Oseguera Cervantes could lead to a series of inter-cartel conflicts and reprisals. American citizens in Mexico could become targets for the cartel as the Trump administration supplied the Mexican military with intelligence ahead of the attempted apprehension of Oseguera Cervantes.
In February last year, U.S. President Donald J. Trump designated CJNG, along with the Sinaloa Cartel, Tren de Aragua, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), the La Resistencia gang, Cartel of the Northeast—a splinter group of the Zetas, the Gulf Cartel, and The New Michoacan Family, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. This move opened new avenues for the U.S. military and intelligence agencies to address the cartels and their drug operations.
This past Sunday, in retaliation for Oseguera Cervantes’s death, CJNG members set up burning blockades, torched businesses, and attacked towns across 20 Mexican states. Reports indicate that dozens of banks, pharmacies, and vehicles were set ablaze, with significant disruptions in high tourist areas like Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Authorities reported 250 incidents of road blockades, with 90 percent cleared by Monday.
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