Mexican Bishops Beg for Prayer as Cartel Firestorm Engulfs Nation After El Mencho Takedown

Mexican Bishops Plead for Prayer and Peace After El Mencho Killing Sparks Nationwide Cartel Chaos

Mexico's Catholic bishops have issued an urgent call for prayer after the killing of one of the world's most wanted drug lords ignited a wave of cartel violence across the country.

On February 22, 2026, Mexican military forces killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The operation was supported by United States intelligence, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Within hours of the operation, the CJNG launched coordinated retaliation across more than 20 Mexican states. Gunmen blocked highways, set vehicles and businesses ablaze, and attacked civilian infrastructure. Authorities identified at least 250 blockades. In Guanajuato alone, more than 70 attacks were reported across 23 municipalities, including 60 arson attacks that damaged over 50 Banco del Bienestar branches and more than 200 Oxxo stores.

The resort city of Puerto Vallarta saw tourists sheltering in place as airlines cancelled flights. Guadalajara, Jalisco's capital and a host city for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, was described as a "ghost town" as civilians hunkered down.

The Mexican Bishops' Conference responded swiftly. In a message addressed to "The Pilgrim People of God in Mexico," signed by Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca and Auxiliary Bishop Héctor M. Pérez Villareal of Mexico City, the president and secretary general of the conference, the bishops urged the faithful to take shelter and avoid unnecessary travel.

Intensify their prayer for the peace that our nation so greatly needs.

The bishops called on Catholics to renew their commitment "to be sowers of reconciliation and fraternity." Invoking the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, they prayed that Mary would:

Cover us with her mantle, protect our families, and help us build paths of justice, peace, and hope.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico also urged American citizens to shelter in place amid the ongoing security crisis.

Catholic Church in Mexico Calls for Calm as CJNG Cartel Violence Devastates Communities

El Mencho had led the CJNG, Mexico's most powerful drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into the United States. His death marks a major blow to the cartel, but the retaliatory violence demonstrates the group's terrifying reach across the nation. Despite its intensity, the worst of the violence largely subsided within a single day.

The Crusader's Opinion

While the world celebrates the death of one drug lord, entire Mexican communities are burning. Christian families are barricaded in their homes, praying to Our Lady of Guadalupe for the violence to stop. The cartels have become a narco state within a state, and the people who suffer most are the faithful. These bishops are doing what shepherds do: calling their flock to prayer when the wolves are at the door. But prayer must be matched with action. The West cannot pour billions into distant conflicts while our closest neighbor bleeds. The fentanyl these cartels push into American streets kills 70,000 Americans a year. This is not just Mexico's war. This is our war. And it is a war against pure, unvarnished evil.

Take Action

• Pray specifically for the safety of Mexican Christians, clergy, and civilians caught in the crossfire of cartel violence. Share the bishops' prayer for peace with your congregation.
• Support The Shepherd's Shield, which provides aid to persecuted Christians in crisis zones around the world.
• Contact your U.S. representatives and senators to urge stronger action against cartel violence and fentanyl trafficking. Find your representative at house.gov.
• Donate to Catholic Relief Services, which operates on the ground in Mexico providing humanitarian aid to displaced families and violence affected communities.
• Share this story on social media to raise awareness. The mainstream media moves on quickly, but Mexican Christians need sustained global attention and solidarity.