The death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as 'El Mencho', on 22 February 2026 during a Mexican army operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, left a power vacuum at the top of one of the world's most dangerous criminal organisations. Within hours, a name began circulating in intelligence circles and among anonymous cartel sources: Juan Carlos Valencia González, alias 'O3'. An anonymous CJNG source, as reported by journalist Dom Lucre, claimed that Valencia González had already been named the cartel's new leader—a development that carries an extraordinary twist. He was born in Santa Ana, California, making him an American citizen by birth, and is now allegedly at the helm of Mexico's most feared drug trafficking organisation.

Mexican authorities had not officially confirmed the succession at the time of writing. Nonetheless, security analysts and intelligence agencies on both sides of the US-Mexico border had long identified 'O3' as the most likely heir, given his bloodline, his operational command, and his deep roots within the cartel's power structure.

Born in the USA, Bred for the Cartel

According to the United States Department of State, Juan Carlos Valencia González was born on 12 September 1984 in Santa Ana, California, and holds both American and Mexican citizenship. He goes by multiple aliases, including 'El Pelón', 'El JP', 'Tricky Tres', and 'R-3'. His connection to the CJNG is not merely operational—it is deeply familial. His mother, Rosalinda González Valencia, is married to El Mencho, making the slain cartel boss his stepfather.

His biological father's family carries equal criminal weight. Los Cuinis were tied to drug lord Armando Valencia Cornelio, alias 'El Maradona', leader of the now-defunct Milenio Cartel. After working in a group of hitmen protecting Armando Valencia Cornelio, El Mencho joined a bloc of the Milenio Cartel allied with Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, a Sinaloa Cartel capo — placing 'O3' at the intersection of two of Mexico's most powerful criminal dynasties.

The Man Behind Grupo Élite

Authorities identify Valencia González as the founder and coordinator of Grupo Élite, the CJNG's primary armed wing, established in 2019, with territorial reach extending across Michoacán, Zacatecas and Guanajuato. This paramilitary unit is described as one of the cartel's most tactically sophisticated forces, capable of deploying rocket launchers and conducting high-impact operations. A DEA investigation found he was responsible for the manufacturing, transportation and distribution of narcotics in large quantities, as well as organising numerous violent crimes.

In 2020, Mexico's then-Secretary of Defence Luis Cresencio Sandoval González publicly identified Valencia González as one of the leaders of Grupo Élite during a press conference hosted by former President López-Obrador.

A $5 Million Price on His Head

The US State Department's Narcotics Rewards Programme is offering up to $5 million (approximately £3.7 million) for information leading to his capture. That figure may not remain static: security analysts tracking the CJNG's post-El Mencho reorganisation suggest the bounty is likely to be revised upward now that he has reportedly assumed the top position.

His half-brother, Rubén Oseguera González, alias 'El Menchito', had once been considered the natural heir to the CJNG leadership. However, El Menchito was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years and ordered to forfeit over $6 billion in drug trafficking proceeds, clearing the path for 'O3' to step forward.

His Mother's Shadow and Los Cuinis

Valencia González does not operate alone. His mother, Rosalinda González Valencia, played a major role in Los Cuinis, the CJNG's main money-laundering wing, prior to her capture. She has since been released from prison and is expected, according to multiple organised crime analysts, to play a significant role alongside her son in steering the cartel's financial operations going forward.

This dual grip—military enforcement through Grupo Élite and financial infrastructure through Los Cuinis—gives 'O3' a structural advantage over other potential rivals within the organisation.

What His Rise Could Mean

Security analyst David Saucedo warned that if relatives of El Mencho assume power, the violence seen in Mexico following his death could continue. The days after El Mencho's killing saw hundreds of narco-blockades reported across 20 Mexican states, underscoring the cartel's capacity for retaliation and the volatility of any leadership transition.

His whereabouts remain unknown, though he is believed to be operating from the mountainous regions of Jalisco or neighbouring states. The reported rise of an American-born citizen to the leadership of Mexico's most violent cartel adds a significant and complicated dimension to US-Mexico security relations — particularly at a time when the Trump administration has escalated pressure on Mexican cartels, including designating the CJNG as a foreign terrorist organisation. Should the succession be confirmed, 'O3' would not only be one of the most wanted men in the Western hemisphere, but a US citizen directing a criminal enterprise responsible for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into American cities.

Originally published on IBTimes UK