Mexico has deployed more than 130,000 security personnel across the country to prevent possible retaliatory attacks by organized crime groups following the arrest of two senior figures linked to the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, commonly known as CJNG.
The announcement was made Tuesday by Mexico’s Security Secretary, Omar Garcia Harfuch, who said authorities ordered an immediate nationwide response after the arrests of key cartel operatives.
According to Harfuch, the latest operation directly weakens the cartel’s operational, logistical, and financial structures.
Mexican forces on Monday captured Audias Flores Silva, also known as “El Jardinero,” along with Cesar Alejandro N, identified as the group’s main financial strategist.
Officials said the two men played critical roles in sustaining the cartel’s criminal network, which has expanded influence far beyond its original base in western Mexico.
Harfuch said the arrests prompted the government to rapidly deploy troops in anticipation of possible violent reprisals, road blockades, attacks on public institutions, or clashes between criminal factions.
He said the security presence is intended to contain any immediate reaction and guarantee public safety.
The large-scale deployment includes military, naval, and National Guard units spread across the country.
The arrests are particularly significant because Flores Silva had reportedly been viewed as one of the potential successors to Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, better known as “El Mencho.”
Authorities said El Mencho was killed by Mexican forces in February, creating a possible leadership vacuum inside the cartel.
If confirmed, the detention of a leading successor candidate could trigger internal power struggles or retaliatory violence from loyalists.
Joining Harfuch at the security briefing were Raymundo Pedro Morales Angeles, Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, and Guillermo Briseno Lobera.
The presence of top military and security officials underscored the seriousness of the operation and the government’s concern about possible cartel retaliation.
According to Harfuch, Flores Silva also faces legal pressure from the United States.
He said there is an active provisional arrest warrant seeking extradition on charges tied to criminal conspiracy involving drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms issued by authorities in the District of Columbia.
In Mexico, officials said Flores Silva also faces a re-arrest warrant for homicide and is linked to other ongoing investigations being handled by the Attorney General’s Office.
In Jalisco, considered a major stronghold of the CJNG and where El Guero Conta was arrested, security has been heavily reinforced.
Authorities said nearly 4,000 combined federal, state, and local forces have been positioned in high-risk zones, border areas, highways, and prisons.
The objective is to prevent prison unrest, convoy attacks, arson, or the type of coordinated disruptions cartels have used in past crackdowns.
Mexico’s Navy also announced that more than 25,000 officers have been deployed nationally to strengthen the response to potential organized crime violence.
Those forces are being supported by approximately 107,000 National Guard of Mexico personnel stationed across the country.
CJNG is widely regarded as one of the most violent and sophisticated criminal organizations in Mexico, with activities linked to drug trafficking, extortion, weapons smuggling, kidnappings, and money laundering.
The cartel has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to mount aggressive responses when senior figures are targeted.
Analysts say the current deployment reflects lessons learned from past operations in which arrests of cartel leaders were followed by retaliatory violence against civilians and security forces.
For President and federal authorities, maintaining order after the arrests will be critical to showing that the state can dismantle criminal leadership without triggering chaos.
For many Mexican citizens, especially in Jalisco and surrounding regions, the coming days may determine whether the operation marks a turning point against CJNG or sparks another wave of instability.
