Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the Army, National Guard, and Air Force for the arrest of CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, El Mencho, during a statement referenced by López Dóriga on X at approximately 4:00 PM UTC on February 23, 2026, as reported in the 59-minute window from 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM UTC. Motorists reported ongoing highway closures near El Refugio and burnt buses blocking the Tala-Guadalajara road in La Venta del Astillero, according to Trafico_ZMG and smoothpelican25 on X. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus opened a State Security Meeting by recognizing security personnel killed yesterday and expressing condolences for a civilian death, stating permanent coordination with federal authorities during the reporting window, as posted on X. The Tepic-Guadalajara highway remained closed in the direction of Guadalajara near El Refugio, per citizen journalism from Trafico_ZMG. Burnt buses continued blocking the road from Tala to Guadalajara, with public transport suspended and detours via Lázaro Cárdenas Street, as geolocated at 20.727692819590757, -103.54464124893697 by smoothpelican25, citing FaytuksNetwork and GeoConfirmed. These developments follow earlier unconfirmed X reports by PamphletsY of cartel attacks on 20 welfare banks in Jalisco and 42 security personnel deaths, with PamphletsY found alive, as noted in prior coverage. The El Mencho arrest updates previous reports of his death in a Mexican military raid supported by U.S. intelligence, confirmed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
