El Mencho is dead, and Mexico has descended into full-scale warfare. The elimination of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes in an operation directly authorized by President Trump has triggered the most violent cartel retaliation in Mexican history, leaving thousands of American citizens trapped in a war zone.
What followed the White House-confirmed operation was immediate and terrifying. Cartel forces launched coordinated strikes across multiple Mexican states, killing 25 Mexican National Guard troops and setting entire city blocks ablaze. Drone footage from Guadalajara shows highways lined with burning vehicles and buildings engulfed in flames as airports shut down and roads were blocked by warring factions.
Americans Trapped as Cartels Deploy Military Hardware
The State Department's crisis hotlines were overwhelmed within hours as hundreds of desperate calls poured in from Americans stranded in resort towns. Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally coordinated rescue operations while private veteran-led organizations mobilized into the chaos.
Brian Stern, chairman of Gray Bull Rescues, deployed helicopters and armored vehicles to extract stranded citizens. Stern, whose team has conducted over 800 rescue missions worldwide, described the cartels as a sophisticated paramilitary force operating with armored personnel carriers, rocket-propelled grenades, and advanced intelligence networks.
"This was not a ragtag gang. This was a paramilitary force at war," Stern warned.
The scope of cartel control is staggering—roughly 20 percent of Mexican territory falls under organized crime dominance, with over 120,000 people disappeared and 20,000 murders annually. El Mencho's death has only accelerated the bloodshed.
Trump's Promise: 'Severe Consequences' for Cartels
This operation succeeded because of Trump's day-one executive order designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Unlike Biden's appeasement approach, Trump authorized lethal action and pressured Mexico to act decisively.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a chilling warning that should terrify every cartel leader: Mexican drug cartels know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will face severe consequences under this president.
That's not diplomatic language—that's a promise backed by American power. While internet influencers trapped in Mexico were told by followers to "stop bringing negativity" to social media, Trump was bringing Americans home through strength, not negotiation with terrorists.
The contrast between Biden-era weakness and Trump-era action couldn't be clearer. Americans are finally coming home because we have a president who refuses to bow to foreign criminals.