"El Mencho Was the Shadow President of Mexico" - Katarina Szulc Explains What's Happening (Video)

In this 24 February 2026 published video, host Mario Nawfal talks with Katarina Szulc about the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as ”El Mencho”, the founder and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent criminal organizations. 

Mexican special forces, supported by U.S. intelligence, tracked him to a luxury villa and a nearby secluded cabin in Tapalpa, Jalisco. Authorities reportedly located him by tracking one of his lovers to the area. He was fatally wounded during a firefight with special forces and died shortly after being taken into custody. His death triggered a massive wave of violence across at least 20 Mexican states, including blockades, torched vehicles, and clashes between cartel members and security forces that have left at least 73 people dead.

https://youtu.be/MNMbBubqRVQ

Chapters:
0:00 – El Mencho’s Death & Cartel Power in Mexico
1:30 – A Crazy Month in News: Maduro & El Mencho
2:06 – Who Was El Mencho? From Agriculture to Kingpin
6:34 – How High Does Cartel Political Corruption Go?
8:47 – Did the US Orchestrate the Hit on El Mencho?
10:23 – Why It Was a Kill Mission, Not a Capture
13:42 – The Cartel’s Open War Against the Mexican Military
18:45 – The Extreme Risks of Reporting on Cartels
19:46 – Mexico’s Missing People & Extermination Camps
21:33 – CJNG’s Recruitment Tactics & ISIS-Level Brutality
26:27 – Who Will Take Over CJNG Next?
28:03 – Why the Violence is Far From Over
32:20 – Where Do Cartels Get Advanced Military Weaponry?
37:14 – Beyond Drugs: How Cartels Actually Make Money
37:53 – What Is It Like to Interview a Cartel Member?
44:26 – Navigating Death Threats as a Journalist
48:25 – Surviving Cartel Roadblocks and Firefights
51:24 – The Imminent Retaliation: How Bad Will It Get?
53:09 – El Mencho vs. El Chapo: Who Was More Powerful?
55:31 – The Essential Role Women Play in Cartel Operations
59:26 – The Downfall of El Mencho’s Family
1:01:22 – Can Any Other Cartel Compete with CJNG?
1:02:37 – Missing Millions: Corruption During Military Raids
1:04:06 – Why Katarina Refuses Armed Security in Mexico
1:06:54 – US Military Action & “Boots on the Ground”
1:10:53 – How Realistic is the Movie Sicario?