Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly rejected any U.S. military intervention in national territory. The arrest also comes after the death on February 22 of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho', leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), who died during an operation in Tapalpa, 130 kilometers south of Guadalajara, the capital of the state of Jalisco. 'El Mencho' was among the most wanted criminals by Mexico and the United States, which offered a million-dollar reward for information leading to his capture. According to the latest Mexican government report, from February 2025 to January 21, as part of the so-called Northern Border Operation —agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid the imposition of tariffs— 10,929 people have been detained and 120.3 tons of drugs have been seized, including 603 kilograms of fentanyl. This Wednesday, Isaac Moreno Romero, alias 'El Hacha', was arrested in the state of Tlaxcala. He is accused of being the regional leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and is linked to kidnappings, extortion, homicides, and illegal fuel trafficking. According to official sources, members of the Secretariats of the Navy, Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) and the Attorney General's Office (FGR) arrested alias El Hacha in the municipality of Santa Cruz, Tlaxcala, and seized 'drug doses and a grenade'. In a statement, the SSPC reported that the arrest was the result of field investigation work, after which federal forces located the suspect in a vehicle with no license plates. The agency noted that after stopping him for a preventive inspection, various drug doses and a fragmentation grenade were found on him. It added that the detainee is identified as one of the main leaders of a criminal organization with a strong presence in the region. In addition, he served as the leader of a criminal faction originating from the state of Nayarit, where he allegedly 'coordinated criminal activities such as kidnappings, extortion, 'protection' money, homicides, and illegal hydrocarbon trade in the area'. These actions are taking place under pressure from the United States, which has raised the possibility of conducting operations against the drug cartels operating in Mexico.
