Unprecedented military raid is risky gamble for Mexico's Sheinbaum

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum reacts during a press conference about the wave of violence in Mexico, following the killing of Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as 'El Mencho', in a military operation on Sunday, at Palacio Nacional, in Mexico City, Mexico, February 23, 2026. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha

MEXICO CITY, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The Mexican military raid ⁠that killed the country's most wanted cartel leader on Sunday was President Claudia Sheinbaum's biggest bet yet, doubling down on her historic offensive against the country's most powerful organized crime groups.

The Mexican ⁠Army launched a surprise operation on Sunday against Nemesio Oseguera, or "El Mencho," the shadowy leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Known as CJNG for its Spanish acronym, the cartel ‌has rapidly become Mexico's largest and bloodiest, dwarfing even the infamous Sinaloa Cartel in territorial reach.