President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Monday morning press conference was held less than 24 hours after news broke that Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” had died due to gunshot wounds he sustained during a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco.
Three federal officials spoke at the mañanera: Sheinbaum herself, National Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla Trejo and Security Minister Omar García Harfuch.
Trevilla spoke about how Oseguera was located and the execution of the operation aimed at detaining him. (Read Mexico News Daily’s report here.)
García Harfuch reported that more than 60 people, including 25 National Guard members and over 30 “organized crime people” were killed in confrontations that occurred after the arrest and death of “El Mencho.” (Read Mexico News Daily’s report here.)
Here is a recap of other key information from Sheinbaum’s Feb. 23 mañanera.
Sheinbaum: A national ‘command center’ remains operational
Sheinbaum told reporters that a “command center” aimed at facilitating “national coordination” remains operational a day after the operation against Oseguera triggered a violent response from the CJNG in states across Mexico.
She said that personnel from the army, the navy, the federal Security Ministry and the Interior Ministry are working at that center, and they are in contact with all state governments.
“I want to thank all the governors because the truth is they all collaborated and provided a lot of information,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum extends condolences to the families of deceased security personnel
On behalf of her government, Sheinbaum extended condolences to the families of security personnel who lost their lives on Sunday.
“The people of Mexico should be very proud of our armed forces and the security cabinet we have,” she said.
“They are great men and women who are always willing to give their lives for others,” Sheinbaum said.
Trevilla: CJNG operative offered 20,000-peso bounty for killing soldiers
Trevilla told reporters that the military obtained information that a man called Hugo “H,” aka “El Tuli,” was coordinating the CJNG’s response to the operation targeting Oseguera from El Grullo, a municipality about 100 kilometers southwest of Tapalpa, Jalisco.
That person, he said, is a logistics and financial operator and a chief confidant of “El Mencho.”
Trevilla said that from El Grullo, “El Tuli” coordinated the setting up of narco-blockades on highways as well as other aspects of the CJNG’s aggressive response to the operation against Oseguera.
He said that “El Tuli” was also offering a bounty of 20,000 pesos (about US $1,160) for each soldier or National Guard member killed by a member of the Jalisco Cartel.
‘El Tuli’ was killed
Trevilla said that a parachute regiment was deployed to El Grullo and located “El Tuli.”
He said the suspect attempted to escape in a vehicle from which he fired at military personnel. The military returned fire and killed “this alleged criminal,” Trevilla said.
He said that two firearms were seized from “El Tuli,” and told reporters that the suspect was carrying 7.2 million pesos (US $417,000) and US $965,000 in cash.
2,500 additional troops to be deployed to Jalisco
Trevilla said that a total of 2,500 additional federal troops were being deployed to Jalisco to bolster security in the state. He said some of the additional troops have already entered the state and more would follow on Monday.
#EnLaMañanera | Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, titular de la Sedena confirma que hay un total de dos mil 500 efectivos militares en #Jalisco con la intención de reforzar la seguridad en el estado tras operativo que llevó al abatimiento de ‘El Mencho’ pic.twitter.com/uUpmhZgxp0
— El Financiero (@ElFinanciero_Mx) February 23, 2026
The defense minister said those troops were joining around 7,000 military personnel who were already in Jalisco.
“More than anything, the intention is to have a dissuasive effect with the presence of these personnel,” he said.
Sheinbaum: “All the highways are clear today’
Both García Harfuch and Sheinbaum reported that all the narco-blockades set up by the CJNG on Sunday had been removed.
“All the highways are free, they don’t have any problem,” Sheinbaum said.
García Harfuch: FGR has identified Oseguera’s body
García Harfuch told reporters that the Federal Attorney General’s Office has confirmed that the bodies of the three people brought to Mexico City on Sunday correspond to Oseguera and two members of his security detail.
Asked what would happen to Oseguera’s remains, the security minister said that corpses are “normally” handed over to a deceased person’s family.
Sheinbaum stresses that US didn’t participate in operation
Sheinbaum told reporters that “all operations” in Mexico are carried out by federal forces.
“In the operation [on Sunday] there is no participation of U.S. forces,” she said.
“What there is is a lot of exchange of information, as we’ve said here several times,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum: There is ‘governability’ in Mexico
Although narco-blockades were reported in 20 of Mexico’s 32 federal entities on Sunday, Sheinbaum asserted that “there wasn’t any problem” in “the majority of entities.”
She acknowledged that “some universities” suspended classes on Monday, but said she was hopeful that “everything can return to normal” on Tuesday.
Pdta #Sheinbaum llama a la calma tras violencia del #CJNG: “Hay Gobierno, hay tranquilidad”
La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum pidió a la población mantener la calma y confiar en las instituciones luego de la ola de violencia desatada por el Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación… pic.twitter.com/uXwv24seEs
— Jaime Guerrero (@jaimeguerrero08) February 23, 2026
Asked whether there is “governability in the country,” Sheinbaum responded:
“There is, there has always been governability. The issue is simply that, following yesterday’s events, calm and peace must be restored everywhere.”
Sheinbaum denies that she was transferred to a navy vessel on Sunday
Sheinbaum acknowledged that there were reports on Sunday that she had been transferred to a (navy) ship and “who knows what else.”
“It’s not true, it’s a lie,” she said.
After a reporter said that a video showing the president landing on a ship in a helicopter was “old,” Sheinbaum said she believed it was from when she previously went to the port city of Guaymas.
The president spent the weekend in Coahuila and Durango before returning to Mexico City by plane.
In a message posted to social media on Sunday, she urged Mexicans to remain calm and stay well-informed in light to the operation targeting Oseguera and the subsequent violent response from cartel henchmen.
García Harfuch: ‘We are prepared’ for a possibly violent ‘restructuring’ of CJNG
After a reporter noted that when cartel “leaders fall, new heads emerge,” García Harfuch said that security authorities are “prepared for any kind of eventuality.”
“In other words, the priority is the protection of citizens,” he added.
“With the command center installed, we’re very attentive to any kind of reaction there might be, or restructuring within the cartel, especially if it’s going to be violent,” García Harfuch said.
“So we are prepared for that and we are also working on the reinforcement [of security] in the area,” he said, referring to the state of Jalisco.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
