Is Maria Julissa El Mencho’s Girlfriend Who Helped Authorities Track Down CJNG Drug Lord? Viral Claims Fact Checked

Mexico’s most feared cartel leader, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho,” was killed on February 22, 2026, during a major military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. According to Mexico’s Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla, intelligence agents were able to track down a man close to a girlfriend of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) boss prior to Sunday’s raid. Officials said the woman was taken to Tapalpa, a mountainside getaway community where Oseguera and his men were staying at a secluded resort compound.

While the girlfriend eventually left the property, El Mencho and his armed associates remained holed up inside. Mexican special forces later deployed to the compound. Once troops entered, heavily armed men opened fire, triggering a gunfight and chase in nearby woods. Four cartel members were killed at the scene, and three others, including Oseguera, were critically injured and later died while being transported to a hospital in Mexico City.

Following his death, violence erupted across several Mexican states. Trevilla said 25 National Guard members were killed as of Monday. Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch reported 27 attacks against authorities in Jalisco and said 30 cartel members were killed in the ensuing clashes.

Where Did The Maria Julissa Rumor Come From?

Social media speculation quickly followed the news of the raid. Viral posts on X and references to a Telemundo report claimed that El Mencho’s alleged lover, identified online as María Julissa, described as a popular social media influencer, leaked his location to authorities, ultimately leading to his death.

However, officials did not name the girlfriend referenced in the intelligence operation, nor did they identify the man who allegedly helped lead authorities to the compound.

Julissa has publicly denied the claims. In a statement shared on Instagram, she said:

“Is disseminating an information where supposedly I have published stories talking about what happened in Mexico, I want to clarify that everything is TOTALLY FALSE! I’m a person who doesn’t like problems, I don’t like to mess with anyone and live the party in peace, I ask you please if you see posts like the following please report them!” Julissa wrote on Instagram (Translated from Spanish).

“HELP ME TAKE DOWN ALL THIS PAGES ON FACEBOOK PLEASE THIS IS TOTALLY FAKE,” she wrote in another Instagram Story (Translated from Spanish).

At this time, there is no official confirmation linking María Julissa to the military operation or suggesting she played any role in authorities locating Oseguera.