US raises Juan Carlos Gonzalez reward to USD 25 million in CJNG crackdown

Mexicocity,UPDATED: Aug 5, 2026 23:12 IST

The United States has raised the reward for information leading to the capture of Juan Carlos Gonzalez, also known as "Pelon", to USD 25 million, stepping up pressure on a man who has emerged as the figurehead of Mexico’s most powerful cartel. The reward was increased from USD 5 million as part of a wider move by the Trump administration against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG.

The US administration also announced a total of USD 100 million in rewards for various CJNG leaders and imposed visa restrictions on family members and business associates of cartel members. The State Department said the measures were aimed at "crippling the organisation’s leadership" as President Donald Trump intensified pressure on Mexico and other Latin American countries to pursue his security agenda.

CJNG is among eight Mexican cartels designated as a foreign terrorist organisation. The group suffered a setback in February when its leader, Nemesio Rubn Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho", was killed by the Mexican military. The United States provided intelligence for that operation, which was followed by a burst of violence in the state of Jalisco.

Gonzalez, Oseguera Cervantes’s stepson and a dual Mexican and US citizen, is reported to have taken control of the cartel, which is involved in activities ranging from avocado production to drug smuggling. Wednesday’s announcement came weeks after the Trump administration imposed sanctions on 50 people and companies linked to the cartel, including Gonzalez. Those sanctions froze assets and blocked US financial transactions involving those named.

The cartel is considered the largest in Mexico, with a presence in 21 of the country’s 32 states, and its operations have spread to several countries, including the United States. The latest US action adds to the pressure on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government to intensify its crackdown on cartels, with the Trump administration also warning of possible military action against the groups.

With PTI Inputs

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