Here Hides ‘El Mencho’, Leader Of The CJNG.

Mica for cartelinsider.com

Since 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) revealed that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes – “El Mencho” – leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) had built his own “golden triangle” in the states of Jalisco, Colima, and Michoacán. From there, hidden in the mountains, he would control all the criminal activities of the four-letter cartel.

The mountains of the Sierra Madre del Sur not only provide “El Mencho” with a great hiding place and difficult access for his rivals and federal forces; their geographical position also places him close to the two main cargo ports on the Pacific coast: Manzanillo, Colima, and Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán.

At 57 years old and with a life-threatening kidney failure, the leader of the CJNG is said to be following more in the footsteps of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada than those of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. After his arrest in the United States and his return to Mexico to lead the CJNG, “El Mencho” became a cautious man, less of a protagonist, and accustomed to avoiding big cities in order to become the “new lord of the mountain.”

At least that’s how the corrido of the Plebes del Rancho describes it: “few know his face, rarely goes down to the towns, he moves in the mountains, from up there he moves everything,” says the lyrics of the song.

The border between Michoacán and Jalisco has become one of the most violent areas over the past few years, with municipalities like Tepalcatepec, Sahuayo, Mazamitla, Buenavista Tomatlán, Apatzingán, Nueva Italia, Aquila, and Aguililla – the alleged birthplace of “El Mencho” – being some of the most heavily affected by criminal activity in the so-called Tierra Caliente region.

And it’s because ever since the CJNG began gaining relevance for U.S. authorities due to their criminal activities, the violence for control of the border area between Colima, Michoacán, and Jalisco also increased. In 2019, “El Mencho’s” offensive to advance through the west of Michoacán successfully reunited the United Cartels.

Although its history dates back to the first alliance of the Millennium Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel, Gulf Cartel, CJNG, and the Knights Templar to expel the Zetas from Michoacán and Jalisco; the most recent version of United Cartels emerged to stop “El Mencho’s” men in their war for Tierra Caliente, which unified organizations such as the Tepalcatepec Cartel and Los Viagras against “the four letters”.

After the hack of Guacamaya Leaks to the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), it was revealed that Mexican authorities were able to track several of the closest men to the leader of CJNG to the vicinity of the communities of Las Hormigas, Murguía, and Aranjuez in Talpa de Allende, Jalisco, a municipality located at the foothills of the mountain range that separates it from Puerto Vallarta.

The reports from Sedena coincide with those of the DEA, “El Mencho” hides among the limits of Jalisco, Colima and Michoacán, but constantly changes address to avoid being traced when the authorities follow one of his subordinates: hotels, safe houses, cabins and ranches completely guarded by his men.

But the DEA adds that the leader of the CJNG does not consume drugs and has the discipline of a military man; he does not go to restaurants and pays the bills for everyone -as it is rumored that El Chapo Guzmán did-; however, the illness he suffers from and -it is presumed- has kept him bedridden for several days could unleash an internal war to succeed him. So far, there have been three attempts (rumors) to kill him.

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Mica

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