The Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) didn’t just rise, it engineered a criminal empire through audacity, ruthless tactics, and precise orchestration. Born from a Milenio split in 2009-2010, it grew from enforcer faction to one of Mexico’s deadliest cartels under El Mencho.

Playbook of Power

• Territorial Dominance: CJNG seized regions not by negotiation, but with rapid, overwhelming violence, striking rivals before they could consolidate influence.
• Decapitation & Intimidation: High-profile assassinations, public executions, and grenade attacks were used to instill fear and disrupt enemy hierarchies.
• Diversified Empire: Beyond drugs (meth, fentanyl, cocaine), they infiltrated fuel theft, extortion, cybercrime, and human smuggling, creating multiple revenue streams to sustain leverage and minimize vulnerability.
• Paramilitary Organization: Small, mobile units executed precision raids, while franchise-style cells extended CJNG’s reach across Mexico and internationally.

Tactics of Influence

• Brutality as Messaging: Public displays of violence weren’t random, they were deliberate signals to rivals, authorities, and local communities.
• Supply Chain Control: By dominating smuggling corridors, CJNG forced competitors into submission or extinction, shaping market dynamics through fear.
• Leadership Cult: El Mencho centralized power while delegating operational autonomy to trusted lieutenants, combining fear with loyalty to maintain cohesion.

The Current Game

With El Mencho killed in February 2026, CJNG faces a power vacuum. Expect bold maneuvers, rapid re-alignments, and aggressive moves, the kind of actions that could reshape Mexico’s criminal map.

CJNG isn’t just a cartel, it’s a study in calculated terror, a shadow empire where influence, intimidation, and deliberate aggression dictate survival.