Mexican president says county is ‘at peace’ after cartel boss killing spurs violence
MEXICO — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum sought to allay fears Monday after violence erupted in 20 Mexican states following the assassination of the world’s most wanted cartel kingpin: Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.”
“The country is at peace,” Sheinbaum told reporters at his daily news conference in Mexico City. “It’s quiet.”
Schools were closed Monday in some states and some flights remained suspended to the popular tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, in Jalisco state, where Oseguera lived and was killed in his hideout in the mountains.
Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s top security official, said 25 members of the National Guard were killed in organized crime attacks in Jalisco state on Sunday. It is unclear how the soldiers were killed.
Mexican Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo revealed new details about the special forces operation targeting Oseguera, the founder and leader of the notorious Jalisco New Generation cartel.
Trevilla said that in recent days, Mexican intelligence agents identified where Oseguera lived by tracking his girlfriend’s movements.
As troops approached the Oseguera compound, near the town of Tapalpa, on Sunday, Oseguera’s guards opened fire in what Trevilla described as “a very violent attack.”
As a shootout broke out between soldiers and cartel henchmen, Oseguera escaped. Troops set up a perimeter around the compound and later found the drug lord hiding in nearby woods, injured.
He and two of his bodyguards were seriously injured. The three men were flown by helicopter to the nearby town of Morelia, but died en route, Trevilla said.
He said an arsenal of firearms, rocket launchers and grenades had been discovered in the Oseguera compound.
The operation against Oseguera sparked retaliatory attacks in Jalisco and other states where the cartel has a presence, with gangsters blocking roads with burning cars, setting fire to some gas stations and storefronts and opening fire on security personnel. It is now common for cartels to attempt to sow chaos in an attempt to disrupt military actions.
Officials said the violence has subsided for now and Sheinbaum said she expects schools and flights to resume by Tuesday.
“We woke up today without a blockade,” Sheinbaum said. “All activity has virtually been restored.”
The government has sent thousands of troops to Jalisco to beef up security there and is ready, officials say, to combat any additional violence as the cartel’s remaining top leaders fight for power.
“We are prepared for this,” Harfuch said.
Trevilla said U.S. intelligence played a role in the operation, but that the identification of Oseguera’s hideout and the planning and execution of the attack were the work of Mexican armed forces.
“In this case, information was provided by the United States,” Sheinbauam said. “But the whole operation since its planning [stage] was the responsibility of federal forces. “
Trevilla said: “Mexico has strong institutions… Trust your government. »
Linthicum reported from New York and McDonnell from Mexico.
