El Mencho’s death as a factor in the drug war

In a significant operation on February 22, Mexican Army special forces, with U.S. intelligence support, killed cartel leader El Mencho of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in the Sierra Madre mountains. The CJNG, notorious for its brutal tactics and extensive drug trafficking in fentanyl and methamphetamine, poses a severe threat to U.S. public health, having contributed to over 1 million overdose deaths since 1999. Despite this victory, the cartels’ influence remains strong, as demonstrated by retaliatory violence following El Mencho’s death.

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