By Derrick Storzieri, Head, CIB North America Desk
Analytical Question: Current and projected state of US-Mexican relations | Date: 27 February 2020

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the US Marshalls Service have reportedly arrested Jessica Johana Oseguera Gonzalez, aka “La Negra,” the daughter of the Jalisco New Generacion Cartel’s (CJNG) leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes. This arrest, which took place on , on February 27, may point to an increased focus by both US and Mexican officials on dissolving drug trafficking organizations along their shared border. Oseguera Cervantes was attempting to visit her brother, Rubén Osegura-González[1] following his extradition to the US. His recent extradition may indicate renewed counter-narcotics cooperation between the US and Mexico. While it is possible that future endeavors will aim to neutralize drug trafficking across the US- Mexico border, it is too soon to state with confidence that future operations will prioritize detaining the family members of prominent drug trafficking organizations.

Rubén Osegura-González, aka “El Menchito”, was originally arrested in 2015 on both drug trafficking and weapons charges[2]. Following his arrest, a warrant was requested for the arrest of Osegura-González by the DEA from the US District Court for the District of Columbia on February 3, 2017. The DEA requested Osegura-González’s immediate extradition to the US[3]. His extradition was approved by the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, but he was denied a “Writ of Amparo” (protection), and a second request was later denied in July 2019[4]. Osegura-González’s father, Nemesio Osegura-Cervantes, aka “El Mencho”, has headed the CJNG since its formation in 2009, using the name Los Torcidos[5]. According to US sources, the CJNG’s use of gratuitous violence and hostile public relations campaigns have made the group one of the most notorious drug trafficking organizations in the United States and Mexico[6].

On February 27, US news sources reported that Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez, daughter of Nemesio Osegura-Cervantes, was arrested on the property of the Washington federal courthouse by US Drug Enforcement Agency agents and US Marshall Service deputies[7]. La Negra was arrested after attempting to visit her brother, Rubén Osegura-González[8]. Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez was arrested on a warrant following a February 13 indictment due to her suspected involvement in the CJNG. The indictment links her to a position of leadership in the organization. She has allegedly supported the CJNG financially by money-laundering using a sushi restaurant and a tequila company[9].

The arrests come amidst a renewed focus by both the US and Mexico to mitigate the effects of drug trafficking across both countries. The US is in the middle of a fentanyl-opioid crisis, while Mexico is facing mass casualties in its ongoing drug war[10]. The two countries have previously run joint counter-narcotics operations during the mid 1980s[11]. This cooperation was discontinued following the 1985 death of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena[12] at the hands of Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, aka “El Padrino”, head of the Mexican Guadalajara cartel[13]. More recently, the rise in drug trafficking has given both countries an opportunity to renew these efforts. With increased economic cooperation brought about by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), whose ratification process began earlier this year, relations between the US and Mexico have strengthened. Following the extradition of several high-ranking CJNG officials to the US, it is likely that the US and Mexico will continue to develop cooperative efforts to reduce the threat of drug trafficking in their respective countries.

Recent developments have pointed to an increased utilization of arrest warrants in order to neutralize leadership in drug trafficking organizations. The arrest and extradition of Rubén Osegura-González, and the arrest of his sister Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez, indicates that the US and Mexico are beginning to renew their cooperation in counter-narcotics efforts. We assess with moderate-to-high confidence that the US and Mexico will continue to focus on dissolving drug trafficking organizations along the shared US-Mexico border in the near future. We can also assess with moderate-to-low confidence that joint operations in the near future will prioritize targets directly related to the leadership of the drug-trafficking organizations. Finally, we can assess with high confidence that US-Mexican Relations will continue to improve in the upcoming months, due to the renewed counter-narcotics cooperation against drug trafficking organizations.

 

Works Cited

Beittel, J. S. (n.d.). Mexico: Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Organizations. 35.

CBP Seizes $18M Worth of Methamphetamine at US-Mexico Border. (n.d.). NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved February 27, 2020.

Corte Federal de EU pide aprehender a “El Menchito”, del CJNG, actualmente preso en Oaxaca. (n.d.). ZETA – Libre Como El Viento. Retrieved February 27, 2020.

Crime, I. (2015, April 17). Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho.” InSight Crime.

Crime, I. (2017, March 27). Jalisco Cartel New Generation (CJNG). InSight Crime.

Daughter of Mexico kingpin “El Mencho” busted trying to see brother “El Menchito” in court. (n.d.). NBC News. Retrieved February 27, 2020, from

De 2020, 23 De Febrero. (n.d.). La caída de “El Menchito” y los efectos sobre el Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación. Infobae. Retrieved February 27, 2020.

El Menchito, con un pie en corte de EU; le rechazan amparo. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2020.

Extraditan a EE.UU. a Rubén Oseguera alias El Menchito, hijo del líder del CJNG. Telemundo. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2020.

 “La Negra”, hija de “El Mencho”, fue detenida justo después de la audiencia de su hermano. (n.d.-b). Retrieved February 27, 2020.

McMiller, E. T. & I. (2020, February 25). “It’s a big problem for everyone”; Investigators working to eliminate cartel from Va. WSET.

Mexico Extradites Son of Jalisco Cartel, Braces for Violence. Voice of America—English. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2020.

News, A. B. C. (n.d.). Border Patrol discovers new smuggling tunnel in southern US. ABC News. Retrieved February 27, 2020.

Snapshot. (n.d.-a). Retrieved February 27, 2020.

Snapshot. (n.d.-b). Retrieved February 27, 2020.

Snapshot. (n.d.-c). Retrieved February 27, 2020.

Son of powerful Mexican drug lord extradited to US (n.d.). NBC News. Retrieved February 27, 2020.

Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena | Just Think Twice. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2020.

The 1985 murder of a DEA agent still haunts Mexico. Finally, a drug lord gets sentenced in the case. (2017, August 24). Los Angeles Times.

Villegas, P. (2020, January 6). A New Toll in Mexico’s Drug War: More Than 61,000 Vanished. The New York Times.

Footnotes

[1] (Daughter of Mexico kingpin “El Mencho” busted trying to see brother “El Menchito” in court, n.d.)

[2] (Son of powerful Mexican drug lord extradited to US, n.d.)

[3] (“Corte Federal de EU pide aprehender a ‘El Menchito’, del CJNG, actualmente preso en Oaxaca,” n.d.)

[4] (El Menchito, con un pie en corte de EU; le rechazan amparo, n.d.)

[5] (Crime, 2017)

[6] (Crime, 2015)

[7](Mexico Extradites Son of Jalisco Cartel, Braces for Violence | Voice of America—English, n.d.)

[8] (Daughter of Mexico kingpin “El Mencho” busted trying to see brother “El Menchito” in court, n.d.)

[9] (Daughter of Mexico kingpin “El Mencho” busted trying to see brother “El Menchito” in court, n.d.)

[10] (Villegas, 2020)

[11] (Beittel, n.d.)

[12] (Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena | Just Think Twice, n.d.)

[13] (The 1985 murder of a DEA agent still haunts Mexico. Finally, a drug lord gets sentenced in the case, 2017)