Testimony From Former Jalisco Cartel Operative Points to 'El Sapo' as Succesor Of El Mencho After His Killing

Following the killing of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) does not have a clear leader.

However, authorities have already identified four people who could emerge as successors. One of them is Hugo Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytán, also known as "El Sapo" (The Toad) or "El 090," who, according to a report by Infobae México, was identified by a witness with Mexico's Attorney General's Office as the most likely successor to El Mencho.

According to information from an investigative file, the protected witness, a former member of the FARC's Frente 30 and once a personal bodyguard for Mendoza Gaytán, said El Sapo appeared to enjoy a certain level of favoritism from Oseguera Cervantes.

"When El Mencho is no longer around, the one who will be left with everything will be 'El 090,' because he is the boss's favorite and has learned how to operate within this cartel," the man said, according to Infobae México.

Speaking to investigators under the surname "Piscis," the man said El Sapo is considered the most violent member of El Mencho's inner circle and was one of the CJNG leader's most trusted men until he was killed by Mexican forces on Feb. 22 in Tapalpa, Jalisco.

According to testimony from Mendoza Gaytán's former bodyguard, the CJNG regional leader has former soldiers, former marines, and Colombian and Guatemalan guerrilla fighters who make up his personal security detail, a protection unit of up to 50 people.

Federal investigations also states that "Piscis" said he was recruited by the CJNG in 2019 and later rose to become El Sapo's personal bodyguard, thanks to his combat experience in Colombia and the backing of "El Amigo," his former guerrilla commander.

El Sapo is also known for being in charge of forced recruitment. According to El País, he has been identified by U.S. authorities as allegedly overseeing a recruitment camp at the infamous Izaguirre Ranch in Teuchitlán, Jalisco, where search collectives found hundreds of pieces of clothing and bone fragments on the property.

According to Infobae México, El Sapo operates training centers in nine different locations, including Teuchitlán and the tourist region of Puerto Vallarta.

At these sites, recruits receive intensive training in combat tactics, ambushes, the manufacturing of explosives, and targeted killings. The witness also said operators are instructed to refer to El Sapo as "Sagrado Señor" or "Santo Señor."

Although the testimony points to Mendoza Gaytán as the most likely successor to El Mencho, the process is not yet settled. Mexico's top security official, Omar García Harfuch, said the federal government has identified three other possible successors.

One of them is Audias Flores Silva, also known as "El Jardinero," who was one of El Mencho's most trusted men and among the CJNG figures with the greatest territorial power. Another is Heraclio Guerrero Martínez, also known as "El Tío Lako," who holds significant influence in the states of Jalisco and Michoacán.

Finally, there is Juan Carlos Valencia González, known as "El 03," El Mencho's stepson and the leader of Grupo Élite, the Jalisco cartel's most technologically advanced and best-trained unit.