El Mencho Dead: How Mexico's Most Wanted Drug Lord Forced Over 100 Churches to Close

El Mencho's Jalisco Cartel Forced Over 100 Churches to Close Through Threats and Extortion

Rubén Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious Mexican drug lord known as "El Mencho," was killed on February 23, 2026, during a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. His death marks the end of a reign of terror that devastated Christian communities across Mexico, forcing more than 100 churches to shut their doors.

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which El Mencho built into one of the world's most powerful criminal organizations operating in 40 countries, systematically targeted pastors and church leaders with extortion demands and death threats. Pastors received chilling messages telling them:

"We know where you live, the address of the church, and what your family does, pastor, so you have to pay."

In Chiapas state alone, more than 100 evangelical churches were forced to close in 2024 due to the violence and insecurity generated by organized crime. Many church leaders attempted to resist the extortion campaigns by reporting phone numbers or changing their mobile numbers, but others made the agonizing decision to close their churches entirely.

The military operation that killed El Mencho resulted in 30 cartel deaths and 70 arrests across seven states, though at least 25 Mexican military personnel also lost their lives. In the aftermath, cartel members established 252 roadway blockades across multiple states, set fires, and attacked gas stations in a wave of retaliatory violence.

The persecution of Christians in Mexico extends beyond cartel extortion. Evangelical believers face hostility from traditional communities opposed to non Catholic denominations. In January 2026, church members in Chanal, Chiapas were ambushed by residents, leaving three women and two men injured.

Up to 80% of murders of religious figures in Mexico go unpunished. Between 2019 and 2026, thirteen priests were murdered, many of them targeted for defending human rights and denouncing insecurity.

Cartel Kingpin El Mencho Killed After Years of Terrorizing Mexican Churches and Pastors

The CJNG trafficked cocaine, fentanyl, avocados, and oil across its global network, generating the vast wealth that funded its reign of terror over ordinary Mexican citizens, including the faithful. The cartel's campaign against churches represents one of the most systematic attacks on religious freedom in the Western Hemisphere.

The Crusader's Opinion

Over 100 churches forced to close. Pastors threatened with death for daring to preach the Gospel. Thirteen priests murdered in seven years. And 80% of these killings go unpunished. This is not some distant persecution in a far off land. This is happening right on America's southern border, in a nation that shares our hemisphere and our Christian heritage. The cartels are not just trafficking drugs. They are waging war against the Body of Christ. El Mencho is dead, but the evil he unleashed lives on. Every closed church door in Mexico is a victory for Satan and a failure of the civilized world. Where is the outrage? Where are the sanctions? If a government in the Middle East shuttered 100 mosques, the entire world would be in flames. But when it happens to Christians, the silence is deafening.

Take Action

• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support persecuted Christians in Latin America and around the world.
• Support Open Doors USA, which monitors and responds to Christian persecution globally, including in Mexico.
• Donate to Voice of the Martyrs to help provide resources and support for pastors and churches under threat from organized crime.
• Contact your U.S. Congressional representatives and urge them to designate Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. Find your representative at house.gov.
• Pray specifically for the pastors and congregations in Chiapas and Jalisco who have been forced to close their churches. Ask your church to include Mexico in its weekly prayer list.