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On February 22, 2026, Mexican special forces killed Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), in a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. This was the culmination of years of U.S.–Mexico pressure to take down one of the most dangerous traffickers responsible for pouring fentanyl and other deadly drugs into our communities.
The aftermath was immediate and brutal: cartel gunmen struck back with coordinated blockades, bus burnings, and attacks across multiple states, effectively bringing parts of Mexico to a standstill. Ordinary citizens and tourists were forced to shelter in place as roads burned and security forces clashed with organized criminals who operate like an army.
Washington quietly supplied intelligence that helped make the raid possible, and allied governments quickly issued travel alerts as airlines canceled flights into hotspots like Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. The U.S. has been forced to reckon with the spillover effects of Mexican cartel violence for years, and now those threats are visible on the ground as Americans are warned to stay indoors.
This crisis exposes the truth conservatives have been saying for years: weak leadership and permissive policies invite chaos. Mexico’s current government has celebrated a tactical victory, but the real question is whether it has the political will and capability to follow up with the sustained law-and-order campaign necessary to dismantle the cartel networks that prey on both Mexicans and Americans.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s swift move to surge border security and mobilize the DPS, Texas Rangers, and other units shows decisive action that federal leaders should emulate instead of ceding our safety to wishful thinking. Keeping cartels contained requires relentless enforcement, secure borders, and cooperation with nations willing to fight these transnational thugs, not excuses about complex root causes while our towns are poisoned by fentanyl.
Make no mistake: the CJNG built an empire on violence and trafficking, and the United States has long treated this organization as a major threat — even placing large bounties and labeling its operations as terroristic in scope. Taking out El Mencho is a victory, but victories against cartels are hollow if political leaders refuse to finish the job and strip their power and revenue.
Hardworking Americans deserve a government that protects them and stops treating our southern border as a revolving door for death-dealing drugs and lawlessness. The moment calls for tougher border enforcement, expedited cooperation with Mexican security forces that actually want to fight the cartels, and an end to the policies that have allowed criminal syndicates to flourish.
We should salute the brave soldiers and agents who put their lives on the line to strike a major blow against a criminal monster, but we must also demand accountability from leaders who left a vacuum for cartels to grow. This is a national-security emergency that requires grit, resolve, and policies rooted in reality — not platitudes — to keep Americans safe and to deny narco-terrorists any foothold on our continent.
