# Drug lord 'El Mencho' killed in Mexico. In retaliation, the Narcos burn a Costco and other things in Puerto Vallarta **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 23, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901 "2026-02-23T01:38:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/1 "2026-02-23T01:38:17Z")
> **[Mexico's most wanted drug lord 'El Mencho' killed in military operation](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4wywnrdd8o)** > > Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho", headed one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels. > **[Tourists in Mexico's Puerto Vallarta told to 'shelter in place' as cartel...](https://www.businessinsider.com/puerto-vallarta-mexico-tourism-shelter-in-place-cartel-violence-2026-2)** > > Violence erupted in Puerto Vallarta and other parts of Mexico after the government killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. > The US and Canada urged their citizens in parts of Mexico to “shelter in place” on Sunday as a Mexican cartel retaliated for the death of its leader. > > In videos shared online, burning vehicles and plumes of smoke could be seen rising from Puerto Vallarta and other cities in Mexico. Flights already on their way to the region from the US turned around, and Air Canada said it was suspending operations to Puerto Vallarta. There were reports that the US helped with intelligence and other support that helped the Mexican government get “El Mencho” ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/2 "2026-02-23T02:40:56Z")
The videos coming out of that area show a lot of random burning and violence. I hope somehow the situation can get settled for both the citizens and the trapped tourists. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/3 "2026-02-23T16:36:10Z")
Status as of this morning from Spanish press Mexican correspondent: multiple states calling off school and other public activities and treating as ongoing emergency. > **[Mexico on alert after the fall of El Mencho](https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-02-23/mexico-on-alert-after-the-fall-of-el-mencho.html)** > > A dozen states suspended classes for Monday, and several others have convened their security cabinets to monitor the wave of violence unleashed by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel following the death of its leader In other sources: > **[Live: Latest updates from Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta](https://mexiconewsdaily.com/el-bajio/whats-happening-in-guadalajara-puerto-vallarta/)** > > Explosions, roadblocks and gunfire have been reported throughout Jalisco after law enforcement actions against a cartel on Sunday morning. They do note: > State authorities have stressed that a number of viral images, including gunfire at Guadalajara airport, passengers on the tarmac at Puerto Vallarta airport and images of downtown Puerto Vallarta in flames, are all AI-generated images. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/4 "2026-02-23T19:22:09Z")
A great many more beside the drug lord died: > **[At least 73 people died in the attempt to capture a Mexican cartel leader and...](https://apnews.com/article/mexico-jalisco-cartel-mencho-sheinbaum-trump-226e50edc33f981d5d6509acc7021ae5)** > > School was canceled in several Mexican states and local and foreign governments alike warned their citizens to stay inside following the army’s killing, and the violence it spurred. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/5 "2026-02-23T19:25:06Z")
Did he become “Most Wanted” after the fact, or was he called “Most Wanted” while he was free? BTW, who is currently “Most Wanted”? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/6 "2026-02-23T21:33:33Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > was he called “Most Wanted” while he was free Yeah, he was not well known outside Mexico as he didn’t do stupid sh-t like being interviewed by Sean Penn. But inside Mexico he was very well known as the head of Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which is a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/7 "2026-02-23T22:14:20Z")
Here’s a local-to-me news report from late 2024 where he is talked about as being Chicago’s most-wanted fugitive, at least, and includes a quote from 2018 of a DEA agent saying he’s a person they’d “consider as public enemy one.” So maybe no official leaderboard, but he was high up there on the list of troublemakers for quite some time now: > **[$15 million bounty: Federal authorities raise reward for capture of 'El Mencho'](https://abc7chicago.com/post/15-million-bounty-federal-authorities-raise-reward-capture-jalisco-new-generation-cartel-boss-el-mencho/15624572/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** > > Chicago's most wanted fugitive, the cartel kingpin that goes by "El Mencho," is now wanted even more as the feds have raised the bounty on his head, the ABC7 I-Team has learned. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2026, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/8 "2026-02-24T05:44:44Z")
> **[Surveillance of romantic partner led to El Mencho's deadly capture, Mexican...](https://apnews.com/article/mexico-jalisco-cartel-mencho-capture-62c9d513c871e01df1c132ca8defb1a9)** > > Mexican authorities say surveillance of a romantic partner helps special forces find and kill cartel boss Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes. Something I found odd: > Once the scene was secured, the cartel leader and his bodyguards were loaded onto a helicopter for emergency transport to a nearby hospital. However, Trevilla confirmed they died en route, noting they were already in “critical condition.” All of them? I could see one or two dying en route–but all three of them dying suggests the possibity that the soldiers on board killed them. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2026, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-lord-el-mencho-killed-in-mexico-in-retaliation-the-narcos-burn-a-costco-and-other-things-in-puerto-vallarta/1027901/9 "2026-02-24T06:01:59Z")
So is this like the Mexican equivalent of getting bin Laden? Wish we’d loan the Mexican air force a couple of AC-130s.