What does ‘El Mencho’ mean? Inside the nicknames of Latin American drug lords

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the 59-year-old head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was injured in a confrontation with soldiers in the town of Tapalpa and later died while being transported by air to Mexico City, according to a military statement.

He had a $15 million bounty offered by the United States for information leading to his capture.

Who killed the cartel leader in Mexico?

The Mexican army said on Sunday that notorious drug lord Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera was killed during an operation that triggered violent incidents in several parts of the country.

El Mencho meaning

Born as Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes later took the name Nemesio, reportedly in honour of his godfather, whose identity remains unknown. His name was eventually shortened to the alias “El Mencho", a nickname that has no clearly defined meaning and does not have a direct translation.

Oseguera is one of the most significant Mexican drug lords captured since the arrests of Sinaloa cartel founders Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Ismael Zambada, both currently serving prison sentences in the United States.

"El Chapo" is a Mexican slang nickname for former drug lord Joaquín Guzmán, meaning “shorty”, according to Reddit users. It refers to his 5 ft 6 in height and compact, stocky build, a nickname he acquired during his teenage years.

Mexico violence

Gunmen retaliated after a raid by blocking over 20 roads in western Jalisco, including areas like Tapalpa, using burning cars and trucks. The violence also spread to other states. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called for calm and said the federal government is working closely with state authorities.

According to Sunday’s statement, the raid combined Mexico’s military intelligence with “complementary information” from US authorities. The operation resulted in the deaths of six suspected cartel members, including Oseguera, and left three soldiers wounded. Two cartel suspects were taken into custody, and a range of weapons was seized, including rocket launchers capable of downing aircraft and destroying armored vehicles.

In response to the violence, Jalisco, which is set to host four World Cup matches this summer, canceled all large public events on Sunday and suspended in-person classes on Monday.

The streets of Guadalajara, the state capital, were nearly deserted as shops, pharmacies, and gas stations closed.

Maria Medina, who worked at a gas station that was set ablaze, recounted that armed men arrived and told everyone to leave.

"I thought they were going to kidnap us. I ran to a taco stand to take cover with the people there," Medina told AFP.

The violence also spread to Michoacan, a neighboring state where Oseguera's cartel operates, and to the resort city of Puerto Vallarta.

Formed in 2009, his cartel grew into one of Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organisations, according to the US Justice Department.

Guatemala announced it was strengthening "strategic" areas along its border with Mexico, which has recently experienced cross-border incursions by criminal groups linked to cartels.

The United States has labelled the Jalisco cartel a terrorist organisation, accusing it of sending cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the country.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau praised the operation and described Oseguera as “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins", "This is a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world," he added. The raid occurred amid pressure from US President Donald Trump on Mexico to curb the flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States.

(With inputs from agency)