Day 33: CJNG Operating Under Collective Council as 'El 03' Consolidation Continues; Regional Rivals Press Boundaries

Day 33 since El Mencho's killing at Tapalpa, Jalisco (February 22, 2026). CJNG continues to function under a collective criminal council while Juan Carlos Valencia González ('El 03') works to consolidate authority. The cartel's franchise model — which grants semi-autonomous operational authority to plaza bosses — has so far insulated it from organizational collapse. Security analysts warn, however, that sustained pressure from rival organizations (Carteles Unidos in Michoacán, Sinaloa factions in Zacatecas and Jalisco, Santa Rosa de Lima remnants in Guanajuato) combined with the arrest or elimination of 37+ high-value targets since February 22 is steadily eroding CJNG's operational depth. Colima remains the most volatile state as competing CJNG sub-factions probe for territorial advantage in the absence of direct centralized leadership. SEDENA and the National Guard have maintained a high operational tempo with daily arrests across CJNG's network.