Unrest in Mexico following the death of major drug lord El Mencho has now spread to at least 20 states, with 25 soldiers killed while on peacekeeping duty.
On Monday, 23 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Mexico's Secretary of Security revealed that at least 25 National Guard members died amid a wave of violence in Jalisco state after the death of El Mencho, a prominent drug lord.
Riots and unrest have erupted in at least 20 states across Mexico since Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” died during custody last Sunday shortly after being captured by a Mexican special forces unit.
General Ricardo Treviño, Mexico's Secretary of Defense, announced Monday that 2,500 soldiers have been deployed to the country's western region to urgently reinforce security.
El Mencho was the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico's most feared criminal organizations, and was among the country's most wanted criminals.
Mexico's Secretary of Defense disclosed that El Mencho was captured last Sunday after authorities tracked him to a meeting with a romantic partner.
However, El Mencho was seriously wounded in a fierce gunfight between his personal bodyguards and the army commando unit sent to arrest him, dying while being transported from Tapalpa city in Jalisco state to Mexico City.
The Defense Ministry added that at least six of El Mencho’s bodyguards were killed in the operation, while three Mexican soldiers were wounded.
Previously, Omar García Harfuch, Mexico's Secretary of Security, stated that since El Mencho’s death, unrest at multiple locations nationwide has resulted in the deaths of one prison official, one state prosecutor, and 30 members of El Mencho’s criminal network.
Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the military operation that led to El Mencho’s death, stressing that her urgent mission is to ensure peace and security throughout the country.
"The situation remains under control. The government continues its duties, the military remains deployed, and we maintain full coordination," Sheinbaum said.
Immediately after news of El Mencho’s death spread, his gang members launched attacks in multiple cities under CJNG influence. In some cities, gang members scattered caltrops and nails on roads, while in others, they seized buses and other vehicles and set them ablaze in the streets.
President Sheinbaum noted that road blockages were cleared by Monday morning, but dozens of banks and local businesses suffered damage after cartel members set fires.
Source:bbc