Mexico’s Embassy Denies U.S. Led Operation Targeting Cartel Leader, Affirms Mexican Sovereignty

The Embassy of Mexico in the United States has refuted claims that a recent military operation in the western state of Jalisco was led by American forces, clarifying that the mission was planned and executed solely by Mexican authorities.

In a statement posted on X on Sunday evening, the embassy addressed assertions circulating online that the United States was responsible for an operation targeting Rubén “N,” also known as “Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The individual is widely identified as Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, one of Mexico’s most wanted criminals.

The denial follows a post by right-wing U.S. political activist Laura Loomer, who claimed on Sunday that the United States had “eliminated a top cartel leader” in Mexico, prompting the CJNG to retaliate by seizing control of areas around the Guadalajara airport and abducting American tourists. Loomer wrote that gunmen were “taking American tourists hostage at nearby highways and hotels.”

The Mexican Embassy categorically dismissed these assertions as “false.”

According to the embassy, the military action in Tapalpa, Jalisco, was conducted by Mexican Special Forces operating under national command. While the statement acknowledged bilateral cooperation with U.S. authorities, it specified that the American role was limited to providing “complementary intelligence.”

“The action was carried out within the framework of bilateral cooperation, with U.S. authorities providing complementary intelligence,” the embassy stated, emphasizing that operational control remained entirely with Mexican forces.

The clarification comes amid reports of escalating violence and disruptions in parts of western Mexico following the security operation. Road blockages and other disturbances have been reported in Jalisco, prompting foreign missions, including that of the United States, to issue safety advisories for their citizens in the region.

Mexican officials have indicated that the operation is part of ongoing efforts to dismantle organized criminal groups responsible for drug trafficking and violence.

In response to the heightened tensions, the embassy disclosed that personnel from the Mexican National Guard and the Army have been deployed to reinforce security in Jalisco and neighboring states to prevent retaliatory attacks and restore order.

The CJNG, under the leadership of Oseguera Cervantes, remains one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent cartels. Both Mexican and U.S. authorities have accused the organization of trafficking fentanyl and other narcotics into the United States.