The key to taking down Mexico’s most-wanted narco El Mencho? His girlfriend
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The death of Nemesio Oseguera, Mexico's most-wanted drug lord, was splashed across the front pages of local newspapers.
PHOTO: AFP
MEXICO CITY – A girlfriend of Nemesio Oseguera, the powerful leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel who was killed by the Mexican military,
The 59-year-old Oseguera, nicknamed “El Mencho”, was wounded in a clash with soldiers on Feb 22 and died while being airlifted to hospital.
The operation was launched after Mexican military intelligence agents, supported by the US military’s Northern Command, learnt that the woman planned to rendezvous with the drug lord in Tapalpa, about 130km from Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state.
Mexican Defence Secretary Ricardo Trevilla told reporters at a press conference on Feb 23 that the woman, “one of the romantic partners of El Mencho”, was brought to a house in Tapalpa by a trusted associate.
On Feb 21, she met Oseguera and then left, leaving him at the house with his security detail, Mr Trevilla explained.
The Mexican National Guard’s Special Immediate Reaction Force blueprinted the operation for the assault on Feb 22 with both land and air manoeuvres.
The soldiers approached the area without entering Jalisco “to keep the secret and thus retain the element of surprise”, Mr Trevilla said.
Once they confirmed Oseguera’s presence – he was wanted for organised crime and weapons possession – they decided to raid the ranch.
“Honestly, it was a pretty violent attack,” Mr Trevilla said, specifying that Oseguera was apprehended in possession of an arsenal that included assault weapons and two rocket launchers.
The kingpin’s security escorts, who have made a name for themselves by defying state forces, had used these types of bazookas before. In 2015, they shot down a military helicopter, helping the drug trafficker evade capture.
Oseguera did not have the same luck on Feb 22.
As they fled, he and his close circle of guards took cover in a forested area surrounding a complex of cabins. But he was again surrounded by the soldiers, who found him hiding in the undergrowth, the military head explained.
His gunmen managed to hit a military helicopter, forcing it to make an emergency landing at a nearby base.
During the gunfight, the soldiers wounded Oseguera and two of his escorts.
All three were airlifted to a hospital in Guadalajara but died en route, Mr Trevilla said. The bodies were then transported by airplane to Mexico City and handed over to the General Prosecutor’s Office.
Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said that Osegeura’s remains would be handed over to his family. It is not yet known where he will be buried.
The authorities also announced the death of his right-hand man.
Hugo H, known as “El Tuli”, was found in El Grullo, another town in Jalisco, from where he directed road blockades, the burning of vehicles and retaliatory attacks against military institutions after his boss’ death.
“He was offering 20,000 pesos (S$1,500) for every soldier who was killed,” Mr Trevilla said.
Like Oseguera, El Tuli died on Feb 22 as he tried to flee. He was carrying an assault weapon, a pistol and the equivalent of nearly US$1.4 million (S$1.77 million) on him when he died, Mr Trevilla added.
The death of Oseguera unleashed a wave of violence
On Feb 23, calm returned to most of the country.
The government has deployed around 10,000 soldiers as a deterrent measure. But blockades continued in isolated parts of Jalisco and neighbouring Michoacan state. AFP
