CJNG Succession Crisis Enters Week 7 — O3 Council Holds, El Jardinero at Large

Day 43 since El Mencho's killing in Tapalpa, Jalisco (February 22, 2026). Juan Carlos Valencia González 'O3,' El Mencho's stepson, maintains reported control of CJNG through a collective council backed by Grupo Élite — but analysts at RUSI and InSight Crime warn of high fragmentation risk. El Jardinero (Audias Flores Silva) remains the primary rival power center, commanding significant plazas in Jalisco, Nayarit, Zacatecas, and Colima with an active $5 million US bounty. Operativo Enjambre has resulted in 64+ arrests since February 22. 2,500 troops remain deployed in Guadalajara for World Cup security preparation. Sinaloa Cartel's Los Chapitos vs. Los Mayos civil war continues as a parallel conflict, creating opportunistic territorial pressure on CJNG-controlled areas.