El Mencho, the alleged leader of the powerful Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación, had long been considered one of the world’s most elusive and dangerous drug traffickers.

The Mexican newspaper Milenio reported that El Mencho was killed during a military operation in the state of Jalisco, triggering coordinated acts of arson, roadblocks, and attacks attributed to cartel cells.

U.S. officials, speaking to American media outlets on background, confirmed that Washington supplied intelligence support that "materially contributed” to locating the cartel leader.

Mexican authorities said the unrest began early Sunday following a federal security operation in the municipality of Tapalpa. Vehicles were torched and major roads blocked across multiple districts, including Guadalajara, where fires were reported along the Periférico ring road and in the neighborhoods of Tapachines, Vallarta, and Alcalde. The tourist hub of Puerto Vallarta also saw streets obstructed and cars set ablaze.

The violence spread to neighboring Michoacán, with road closures and arson in Zamora, Buenavista, and Tepalcatepec. In Guanajuato, local authorities reported fires in shops and vehicles, though no casualties were immediately confirmed.

El Mencho, 59, had been a fugitive for more than a decade. U.S. agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture, accusing him of overseeing massive trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine into the United States.

Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro urged the state’s eight million residents to remain indoors until order is restored. "Public transportation will be suspended as security forces work to reestablish control,” he said in a televised statement, advising citizens to avoid all road travel.

Meanwhile, U.S. media reported that Washington temporarily canceled flights to Mexico, while Canada issued an advisory urging its citizens to avoid travel to affected regions.