Claims of El Mencho’s son being captured began to do the rounds after the feared drug lord was killed. Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed by Mexican military forces on Sunday.
Claims rose that his son was then captured by Mexican military and taken for interrogation. An alleged video was also shared widely online, showing the inside of a helicopter.
Track live updates from Mexico after El Mencho killed
“The son of cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ has been captured by the Mexican military and taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation,” a person wrote. The post has since received over 160,000 views.
In the alleged video, two people can be seen in what appears to be tactical gear worn by law enforcement. They are seen holding down a person who’s not wearing any clothes. The audio in the alleged clip cannot be heard over the sound of the aircraft.
The video was shared by several other profiles. Many others made similar claims without attaching said clip. “They got “El Mencho’s” son also! LFG! Captured alive! He will stand to face justice!,” a page claimed. Another added “They also captured the El Mencho’s son, so it will get worse.”
Fact-checking El Mencho son ‘capture’ claims
To be sure, the claims about El Mencho’s son’s capture come from unverified profiles. They were widely amplified on social media without any proof. As such, El Mencho’s son has not been captured in today’s operation as per the latest available information.
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There was no update on it from mainstream media, or from official Mexican and US authorities. Grok fact-checked the claims as well, saying “Recent reports from NYT, Reuters, and Mexican officials confirm that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”) was killed in a military operation on Feb 22, 2026, in Jalisco. No credible sources mention his son being captured recently—his son “El Menchito” was arrested in 2015 and extradited to the US in 2020.”
El Mencho children: Jessica Johanna Oseguera in focus
El Mencho has three children – Rubén Oseguera González (“El Menchito”), Jessica Johana Oseguera, and Laisha Oseguera.
El Menchito, who was at one time second-in-command, is already convicted. Laisha Oseguera, one of the daughters, is also involved in the cartel business and was at one time wanted for the alleged kidnapping of two navy personnel, a 2021 report had indicated.
However, a lot of focus appears to be on Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez, or La Negra. She holds US citizenship as well but also remains behind bars after an arrest in 2021. She got 30 months jail in the US for “willfully engaging in financial dealings with Mexican companies that had been identified as specially designated narcotics traffickers”.
Now, social media speculation has focused on her as a possible successor as the CJNG look to fill the leadership vacuum. “Following the operation in Jalisco where Nemesio Oseguera “El Mencho” was killed, his daughter Jessica Johanna Oseguera González emerges as a key figure in the succession of the CJNG. Authorities maintain red alerts due to violent incidents in various states,” a post on X claimed. Some reports also indicated that she’d emerged as a ‘central figure’ after her father’s demise. HT.com could not independently verify these claims. Authorities have not officially announced who’s the next head of CJNG. No announcement has come from the cartel either.
Notably, El Mencho also has a stepson – Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez or El Pelon – who’s been identified as the de-facto second-in-command by authorities. However, there were no reports of his capture either, despite the alleged video going viral.