Cartel Jalisco New Generation’s Structure post-El Mencho

The Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) has developed a structured hierarchy that enables it to exert control over extensive territories in Mexico. This setup, reminiscent of corporate models, allows the cartel’s underbosses to manage everyday activities without needing constant oversight from the organization’s top leader, the recently deceased Rubén Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes.

According to reports from Breitbart Texas, Mexican military forces successfully located and eliminated a fugitive terrorist leader during a violent confrontation in Jalisco on Sunday. Following this incident, CJNG’s members instigated chaos across the nation by igniting fires, erecting blockades, and carjacking vehicles as a demonstration of power.

El Mencho’s demise has ushered in significant uncertainty regarding the cartel’s future. Some intelligence analysts believe this could lead to internal strife or a faction split, while others warn of potential escalated violence, as rival factions might try to take advantage of CJNG’s apparent vulnerability without its former leader.

Documents from the Mexican Navy, which Breitbart Texas obtained, shed light on CJNG’s operational framework. Sources indicated that the existing structure remains intact, enabling the cartel to function without internal conflict for the moment.

While El Mencho held the supreme authority, the cartel was also governed by a trio of leaders known as the Trident. The current members of this group include:

• Juan Carlos “El 3” Valencia, El Mencho’s son-in-law.
• Audias “El Jardinero” Flores.
• Hugo Cesar “El Turi” Macias Urena, also believed to be El Mencho’s son-in-law, who died during the recent confrontation.

Beneath the Trident, CJNG is organized into subordinates managing regional leaders, all responsible for various plaza bosses—the individuals dictating activities within specific cities. This model allows the cartel to maintain a formidable presence across numerous states in Mexico. While some reports have suggested that Valencia has assumed leadership of CJNG, current information indicates that the Trident structure persists to stave off unrest following the loss of a top figure.

Mexican naval sources informed Breitbart Texas that a council, which includes cartel financial representatives from Quinis, will be responsible for selecting the next Trident to replace the late Tulli. Information suggests that Gonzalo “El Sapo” Mendoza Gaitán, a high-ranking CJNG member and former plaza leader in Puerto Vallarta, is likely to be next in line.

A senior official from the Mexican Navy disclosed that key figures within the cartel hold substantial power. Membership in the Trident and Underboss positions is restricted to CJNG’s founding members, excluding individuals from rival organizations. Outsiders’ highest attainable rank is regional boss, giving them control over multiple plaza leaders.

These regulations are designed to keep outsiders from infiltrating the upper levels of the cartel and potentially defecting. This policy prevents prominent figures from groups like Los Blancos de Troyas, Gulf Cartel, and Los Biagras from ascending to trident positions.

According to intelligence from the Mexican Navy, CJNG boasts operations in all 32 states of Mexico, each eventually serving one of the three Trident members.