Various acts of violence and vandalism were committed in Guadalajara and other parts of the state of Jalisco on Monday night in an apparent continuation of the hostile reaction to the death on Sunday of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes.
Guadalajara-based newspaper El Informador and other media outlets reported on arson attacks and highway blockades in Jalisco, the main stronghold of the powerful CJNG.
CJNG members promptly launched a widespread and extremely violent response to the death of their longtime leader, who died after he was shot by Mexican military forces during an operation in the municipality of Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Sunday morning.
Below is a summary of the incidents that occurred on Monday night in Jalisco. It has not been confirmed that cartel members were responsible for these apparent arson attacks.
- A recent model car was set on fire at an intersection in the neighborhood of Oblatos, located a few kilometers southeast of the historic center of Guadalajara.
- Vehicles were also set on fire in various other parts of the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, according to a report by El Heraldo de México.
- A fire broke out at a “Punto Limpio” recycling/garbage collection point in the Guadalajara neighborhood of Mezquitán Country.
- An OXXO store in the Mariano Otero neighborhood of Zapopan was targeted in an arson attack. El Informador reported that individuals threw a flammable object at the counter, sparking a blaze that firefighters subsequently extinguished.
- A fire occurred in the Altea shopping center in Tonalá, a municipality in the Guadalajara metropolitan area.
- Another fire occurred in a home in the neighborhood of Toluquilla, located in the Tlaquepaque municipality in the Guadalajara metropolitan area.
- A vehicle was set on fire on the Lagos de Moreno-Zapotlanejo highway near the Jalostotitlán toll booth, according to motorists.
Se reporta un nuevo bloqueo en la carretera rumbo a Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, con dos unidades incendiadaspic.twitter.com/4bQTTPykqO
— Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) February 23, 2026
Narco-blockades
Alleged criminals set up multiple blockades on highways in the municipality of Autlán de Navarro, located in southern Jalisco, not far from the border with Colima.
El Informador reported that fires occurred on the El Grullo-Autlán state highway near the El Mezquite bridge. Federal Highway 80 was also cut off in Autlán due to blockades set up by criminals.
Another fiery narco-blockade was reported in the town of El Aguacate, located in the municipality of Cihuatlán on the border with Colima.
Citing local reports, the newspaper Reforma reported that there were “multiple” confrontations, narco-blockades and vehicles set on fire early Tuesday in the municipalities of Tonaya, Cihuatlán, Tecolotlán, Autlán and San Juan de los Lagos.
A brother of “El Mencho,” Abraham Oseguera Cervantes, was arrested in Autlán in April 2024. He was subsequently released from prison after a judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to put him on trial. However, the older brother of “El Mencho” was arrested again in early 2025.
Reforma reported that Autlán is considered a “strategic point” for the CJNG, and noted that authorities had searched for “El Mencho” in the municipality.
Federal security cabinet acknowledges blockades in Jalisco
On Monday morning, both President Claudia Sheinbaum and Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said that all the narco-blockades that affected highways and roads in 20 states on Sunday had been removed.
However, in a social media post on Monday night, the federal government’s security cabinet acknowledged that “several blockades” were set up in Jalisco during the course of the day.
The security cabinet, made up officials from various federal security forces as well as the Security Ministry and the Interior Ministry, said shortly before 10 p.m. Monday that 83% of the new blockades had been cleared but seven remained active.
It also said that “isolated blockades” had occurred in the states of Michoacán and Nayarit. The security cabinet said that authorities have responded “immediately” to those blockades.
Jalisco governor updates citizens
In a social media post on Tuesday morning, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus reported that public transport services were operating normally across the state.
He also said that Guadalajara’s main wholesale market, el Mercado de Abastos, was functioning normally on Tuesday morning and highlighted that businesses were open.
“My recognition to the transport workers, service providers, workers, businesspeople, and society in general. Together we will recover our state and our city,” Lemus wrote.
On Monday night, the governor said that classes of “all education levels” would resume on Wednesday.
He also said that in Puerto Vallarta, “we have deployed sufficient personnel to ensure the resumption of public transport service, and the supply of food and services for the hotel zone and the population in general.”
On Sunday, Lemus issued a Code Red security alert, advising residents of Jalisco to stay inside due to ongoing security incidents. On Monday night, he indicated that the Code Red alert could be lifted on Tuesday, as long as the security situation doesn’t deteriorate.
García Harfuch reported on Monday that 25 National Guard officers, a state police officer, a prison guard and a woman — reportedly pregnant — were killed in attacks in Jalisco following the operation targeting “El Mencho.”
He also said that 34 criminals were killed in incidents following the Sunday morning military operation.
With reports from Informador, López-Dóriga Digital, Reforma and El Heraldo de México
