At least 60 people have been killed in a wave of violence that has erupted in 20 states in Mexico following the death of Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) cartel.
The operation in which “El Mencho” was executed took place in the most expensive and exclusive residential areas of Jalisco state, in Tapalpa. The Mexican government announced on Tuesday evening that the security situation in the state has now stabilized.
However, following the killing of Nemesio Oseguera, speculation has begun about who will take over the reins of the cartel, and it seems that the leading candidate for this position is a man born in California. According to the New York Post, Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez has emerged as the leading candidate to take over the criminal organization.
The 41-year-old is the adopted son of El Mencho. According to authorities, his mother, Rosalinda “La Jefa” Gonzalez Valencia, was married to the drug lord and played a significant role in the cartel’s finances. Some analysts speculate that she could take over the cartel, but most agree that she will support her son, according to the same information.
Juan Carlos, also known as El Pelón, Tricky Tres and O3, holds dual American and Mexican citizenship, as he was born in Santa Ana, Orange County in 1984. Many details about his early life remain unknown, but he was born while his parents, Rosalinda and Armando Valencia Cornelio, who had ties to the cartel, lived in California.
El Pelón's alleged drug connections were revealed by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in 2020. An investigation revealed that he was responsible for the production and sale of "tons of drugs", as well as violent crimes since 2007.
In July 2020, videos emerged showing the armed wing of the Jalisco cartel, with Mexico's then-Minister of Defense identifying one of the men in the video as Juan Carlos.
In October of that year, the US government filed a federal indictment against him for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and use of a firearm during a drug transaction.
The US was offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Juan Carlos. The US State Department described him as “1.75m tall, weighing 77kg, with brown hair and eyes”.
Announcing the 2021 reward, the DEA administrator said the investigation into Juan Carlos was codenamed “Operation Pinky and the Brain.” “Today’s reward announcement underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to pursuing the individuals and organizations that cause the greatest harm in our communities ,” she said.
Juan Carlos was also referred to as the cartel's "de facto second in command" after his stepfather before his murder.
Security analyst David Saucedo claimed on Monday that Juan Carlos "still does not have the necessary influence among other cartel leaders" to succeed him.
If the Jalisco cartel is to remain in the family, there are few options other than Juan Carlos. El Mencho's older brother, Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, was arrested in the US along with 28 other cartel leaders last year. Meanwhile, his son, Ruben Oseguera Gonzalez, was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years and ordered to surrender $6 billion in drug-related money.
Experts fear that whoever takes power, once the cartel reorganizes, the violence that erupted in Mexico on Sunday will erupt again.
"This did not seem to be just an operation to capture El Mencho, but to eliminate him, to use deadly force to neutralize him. In the criminal world, such actions do not go unnoticed. The reaction is what we are seeing now: narcoterrorism, blockades and burning of grocery stores throughout Mexico ," analyst Saucedo told CNN.
