Mexico's Defence Minister Ricardo Trevilla said on Monday (February 23) military intelligence tracked down drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," through a romantic partner who led authorities to his location in Tapalpa, Jalisco.

Trevilla said special forces deployed on February 22 to arrest Oseguera, who had warrants for organised crime, but his security personnel opened fire on military troops in what the minister described as a very violent attack.

El Mencho and his inner circle fled into a wooded area where they were pursued by special forces and located hiding in brush. The cartel leader and his bodyguards opened fire again and were wounded in the exchange, prompting military medical personnel to evacuate them by helicopter to a medical facility, but they died en route, according to Trevilla.

The operation triggered widespread violence across Mexico with 27 attacks against authorities in Jalisco alone and road blockades and vehicle burnings in multiple states.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

MEXICAN DEFENCE MINISTER, RICARDO TREVILLA AT NEWS CONFERENCE / SOUNDBITES FROM TREVILLA

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (FEBRUARY 23, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. REPORTERS AT MEXICAN PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM'S MORNING NEWS CONFERENCE

2. SHEINBAUM ARRIVING AT HER MORNING NEWS CONFERENCE

3. WHITE FLASH

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN DEFENCE MINISTER, RICARDO TREVILLA, SAYING:

"Through military intelligence work, we located a trusted person of one of El Mencho's romantic partners who transported her to a facility in the town of Tapalpa, Jalisco. At that location, she met with El Mencho, this romantic partner, and on February 21 she left the property and we obtained information that El Mencho remained at that location."

5. WHITE FLASH

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN DEFENCE MINISTER, RICARDO TREVILLA, SAYING:

"The ground force deployed to the location where he was to carry out the arrest. We were going to establish a perimeter. El Mencho has two arrest warrants for organised crime, so we were going to set up a perimeter. We had information, of course, from aerial platforms that the personnel were armed, so we were going to apply the Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives Control to arrest them in the act. So this personnel deployed, and El Mencho's security personnel opened fire against the military personnel."

7. WHITE FLASH

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN DEFENCE MINISTER, RICARDO TREVILLA, SAYING:

"El Mencho came out, they left behind a group with a large quantity of weapons. It really was a very violent attack carried out by the organised crime personnel and the military special forces personnel repelled the action. Eight criminals died there in total."

9. WHITE FLASH

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN DEFENCE MINISTER, RICARDO TREVILLA, SAYING:

"They went into a wooded area. This cabin complex was on the outskirts of Tapalpa, so adjacent to it was a wooded area and that's where El Mencho and his inner circle headed. A perimeter was established, special forces personnel pursued them, they located him hidden in the brush. They opened fire against the special forces personnel."

11. WHITE FLASH

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN DEFENCE MINISTER, RICARDO TREVILLA, SAYING:

"The military medical personnel went to the location where were El Mencho and his security circle, his wounded bodyguards. They determined it was necessary to evacuate them because they were in very critical condition. Helicopter support was requested to land and transport them to a medical facility in Jalisco, and El Mencho, his two bodyguards and the wounded officer were transported. Unfortunately, they died en route."

13. SHEINBAUM DURING NEWS CONFERENCE