“El Jardinero” Attempted to Inherit the CJNG Empire Following the Death of ‘El Mencho’

This afternoon, the federal security cabinet provided further details regarding the recent capture of Audías Flores Silva—alias “El Jardinero” (The Gardener)—who was considered the successor to the leadership of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel following the death of “El Mencho,” as well as the capture of his principal financial operator.

These two distinct operations took place in Nayarit and Jalisco. Over the past few hours, two high-impact actions were carried out that deal a direct blow to the operational, logistical, and financial capabilities of a criminal organization with a presence in various states across the country and transnational operations.

According to the security cabinet, Audías Flores—El Jardinero—coordinated the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and other drugs into the United States; he also oversaw the illegal extraction of fuel, kidnapping, property dispossession, and the extortion of trucking companies.

Following the death of El Mencho, El Jardinero began mobilizing personnel, weaponry, and resources with the aim of seizing control of the criminal organization. His primary sphere of influence encompassed the states of Nayarit, Zacatecas, Michoacán, and Guerrero, as well as strategic municipalities within Jalisco.

This detention represents a decisive blow to the command structure, operational capacity, and territorial expansion capabilities of this criminal organization, as well as a significant strike against the crime of extortion. The operation to apprehend Flores began in October 2024 and involved coordination with various U.S. agencies.

The exchange of information—conducted in strict adherence to the principles of respect for our national sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction—is always welcome. However, this specific operation was executed entirely by Mexican authorities.

The Secretary of the Navy reported that, in order to prevent violent incidents following the capture of El Jardinero and his financial operator—known as “El Herrero” (The Blacksmith)—the security cabinet has reinforced its troop deployments across various locations throughout the country.

“We have an anti-blockade plan led by the Secretariat of National Defense, and we have deployed our forces across all coastal zones. We have issued orders to our personnel to prioritize the reinforcement of military installations, residential housing units, and all personnel currently deployed in the field.”

Following that, we will deploy our forces to protect the population—specifically, to safeguard individuals and their property against any criminal activity. Later that afternoon, the Attorney General’s Office reported that it is building a case against Audías Flores for the offense of violating firearms laws, and reiterated that there is an outstanding arrest warrant against him for the purpose of extradition.

Source: NMas