Impact of El Mencho’s Death on the CJNG

The recent death of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes has left a significant mark on the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG), one of the most formidable drug trafficking organizations in North America.

It’s hard to ignore the feeling of relief that comes from seeing a figure like El Mencho eliminated. Yet, to truly protect American lives, the focus should shift towards financial mechanisms instead of merely targeting individuals.

Without ongoing pressure from both the United States and Mexico, the CJNG is likely to adapt, decentralize, and reestablish its vast operations.

Cartels aren’t centered on any one person; rather, they’re expansive networks of various players, organizations, and facilitators. When a leader falls, numerous others vie for control.

Moreover, the structure of drug cartels has evolved over the years. They have transitioned from hierarchical entities to loosely connected groups of financial players, often stepping in to exploit areas that legitimate businesses avoid.

These organizations aren’t just criminal in nature; they function much like multinational corporations.

Their core strength lies not in individual leaders but in robust financial networks, logistics systems, and channels of corruption, often backed by paramilitary forces that have capabilities similar to small nations.

The CJNG is also heavily involved in a variety of illegal activities, from drug smuggling to human trafficking, illegal logging, and real estate fraud.

They infiltrate legitimate businesses, bribe officials, and intertwine their influence into community structures.

Recently, the U.S. Treasury Department took action against a web of organizations linked to the CJNG, targeting enterprises in hotel management, real estate, tourism, and sports.

While CJNG stands as the most powerful cartel in Mexico, there are others, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, looking to gain from this leadership vacuum. Smaller regional groups, like La Nueva Familia Michoana, also aim to exploit lucrative trading routes.

Under El Mencho’s direction, the CJNG expanded into a global criminal network, operating in over 40 countries across various continents.

This cartel uniquely combined drug trafficking with military capabilities and sophisticated methods for laundering money.

Within Mexico, the CJNG has established a significant presence across 27 states, forming a substantial operation.

El Mencho’s death might escalate violence and conflict, but simply fragmenting the group won’t lessen the flow of drugs into the U.S. In fact, identifying these drugs may become even trickier with new actors stepping in.

Merely removing a leader is insufficient.

Former President Trump recognized economic strategies as a vital approach to national security.

Now, there is an opportunity to build upon that by aiding Mexico in dismantling CJNG’s financial networks, including the attorneys and lobbyists that enable them.

The administration could also focus on unmasking North American-linked Chinese laundering operations that transfer cartel profits, along with the shell companies that obscure illegal dealings under the guise of legitimacy.

The Treasury should expedite sanctions against CJNG’s upcoming leaders and financial contacts, while the State Department needs to collaborate with allies to freeze cartel assets worldwide.

Also, the Commerce Department should tighten export controls to prevent cartels from obtaining technologies that can aid their operations.

The USMCA trade agreement presents a strategic opportunity for President Trump, serving both economic and security purposes.

For secure supply chains, territories must also be secure, and cartels’ control over key ports remains a significant risk to economic integration in North America.

The U.S. government should consider incorporating anti-drug provisions into the USMCA, along with enhancing port security, financial transparency, and corruption enforcement.

The threat of tariffs that previously pressured Mexico into action could be leveraged alongside positive incentives for dismantling cartel operations.

As noted by President Trump, cartels pose hybrid threats, controlling territories and undermining governance while exploiting globalization.

While El Mencho’s death has derailed one segment of this criminal organization, cartels are resilient and will regroup to sustain profits.

To effectively dismantle these groups, both the U.S. and Mexico will need more than military solutions. The focus must shift to disrupting the numerous revenue streams that keep the drug trade thriving.