CIA Intel Proved Pivotal in Killing Mexico's El Mencho

(MENAFN) U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, provided Mexican authorities with critical information that led special forces to the hideout of Mexico’s most wanted drug lord, ultimately enabling the operation that killed him, The New York Times reported, citing U.S. officials.

Mexican authorities announced Monday that they had pinpointed the whereabouts of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes — the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, widely known as El Mencho — by placing surveillance on a woman believed to be in a romantic relationship with the fugitive leader.

Investigators first focused on a member of the associate’s inner circle, a trail that eventually led them to a direct encounter between the woman and El Mencho at the cartel boss’s hidden location.

Mexico’s Secretary of Defense Ricardo Trevilla Trejo confirmed that intelligence surrounding the romantic associate originated from the Mexican Army’s elite intelligence division. He also acknowledged that Mexican authorities relied on “complementary information” provided by U.S. agencies to monitor the cartel leader’s network.

A source briefed on the operation said the intelligence contributed by the CIA was “instrumental in removing” the cartel leader. Those familiar with the mission declined to elaborate on how the intelligence was gathered, only noting that the agency uses multiple collection methods — including human informants, aerial surveillance, and intercepted communications.

Throughout President Donald Trump’s administration, Washington significantly increased intelligence sharing with Mexico while pressuring Mexico City to act decisively on the information provided. A Mexican official said the joint effort demonstrated that the government could respond “swiftly and effectively” to U.S.-supplied intelligence.

Mexico has long resisted Washington’s push for joint raids targeting cartel infrastructure and leadership, insisting its forces are fully capable of executing high-complexity missions independently. Several officials suggested that El Mencho’s killing could now strengthen Mexico’s diplomatic standing as it continues to push back against U.S. demands for joint operations or unilateral American drone strikes on cartel targets.