The command structure of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is going through a new stage after the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho”.
A member of the organization's special units publicly recognized that Juan Carlos Valencia González, known as “El 03” or “El Pelón”, currently occupies the highest position within the criminal group.
The statement was presented in a documentary by the German channel ARTE, broadcast in June 2026, and represents one of the most direct public confirmations about the succession within the CJNG.
The member of the criminal group also issued a warning against those who intend to challenge the authority of the new boss.
"He is the authority and the power. He is the one we obey. He has a big heart for all his people. But be careful: whoever challenges his power will be punished. Whoever crosses that line will be severely punished," he said in the documentary.
The testimony presented in the documentary not only points to a succession within the criminal group, but also displays the message of authority with which the new leadership intends to consolidate its position.
Valencia González is the stepson of “El Mencho” and for years has been identified as one of the most relevant operators within the CJNG structure.
His name became especially relevant after the death of Oseguera Cervantes, which occurred in February 2026. In July, the United States National Counterterrorism Center had already identified Valencia González as the new leader of the CJNG.
The American identification reinforced the versions that pointed to a succession headed by “El 03.” Now, the testimony of a member of the group's own special units provides an additional element to that version.
Who is “The 03”?
Juan Carlos Valencia González was born in California and has Mexican and American nationality. He is the son of Armando Valencia Cornelio, related to the former Millennium Cartel, and Rosalinda González Valencia, a member of the Valencia family. He later became the stepson of “El Mencho.”
Before being identified as the leader of the CJNG, Valencia González had already been linked to armed and operational structures of the organization.
His rise is explained, according to media such as the weekly Proceso, by the combination of his family ties and his position within the power structures of the cartel.
Millionaire reward for his capture
The designation of “El 03” as the alleged leader of the CJNG also occurs while the United States intensifies its offensive against the organization.
The US government recently raised the reward for information leading to the capture of Valencia González to $25 million, within an offensive that includes more than $100 million in rewards for information on different leaders linked to the CJNG.
For now, the name “El 03” appears with increasing frequency in official reports and statements as the figure who would have taken control of the organization after the death of “El Mencho.”
