Unofficial reports state that Rubén Guerrero Valadez, 'El R1' and son of Heraclio Guerrero Martínez 'El Tío Lako,' was killed alongside CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, El Mencho, in a Mexican military raid supported by U.S. intelligence, with details emerging between 10:45 AM and 11:45 AM UTC on February 23, 2026. The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico recognized the efforts of Mexican security forces in the operation to capture El Mencho, as stated in a Zulu post during the reporting window. This follows White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's confirmation of U.S. intelligence support, which resulted in three additional CJNG members killed, three wounded, and two arrested, per previous statements. These developments occur amid escalating unrest in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding areas, including a Costco store set ablaze between 9:15 AM and 10:15 AM UTC and 12 detentions for looting convenience stores earlier that morning, according to posts by MostlyPeaceful and Public Safety of Puerto Vallarta via CarolinaGomezA on X. Prior incidents reported vehicle burnings and arrests in Guadalajara, Zapopan, and other Jalisco locations, as cited by GNocturnaMX and JaliscoRojo_ on X, continuing patterns linked to CJNG operations.
