Six months after El Mencho's death, Mexico confronts CJNG power vacuum

A military raid in Jalisco six months ago eliminated the CJNG founder known as El Mencho, a figure who had built a powerful criminal empire over 15 years. The clash left dozens dead, including civilians and officials, and sparked nationwide narco-blockades. In the aftermath, Mexican forces have arrested a number of high-ranking cartel operatives and stepped up a sustained campaign against the organization.

Historians link the cartel’s emergence to the 1960s-80s cannabis and opium cultivation in Aguililla and surrounding valleys, where families like the Valencias first introduced poppy to the region. The power vacuum has prompted speculation about leadership among El Mencho’s relatives and allied groups, yet no definitive successor has been identified. Analysts note that the CJNG’s franchise-style expansion and diversification into synthetic drugs and fuel theft may continue under new command. Mexico now faces a period of uncertainty, with the old hierarchy weakened but a fully new order not yet evident.