09.11.2026 14:00
In Mexico, cartel leader Rafael Alvarez Ayala, nicknamed "R2", was injured and captured in an armed clash with security forces. Alvarez, who was taken to the hospital on a stretcher, was detained along with 19 other people. It was learned that the cartel manager, who is stated to be linked to the murder of a mayor, is also wanted by the US on drug and weapons trafficking charges.
In a large-scale security operation carried out in Mexico's Jalisco state, one of the senior figures of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the country's most powerful criminal organizations, was captured. Security forces raiding the location where Rafael Alvarez Ayala, known by the nickname "R2," was staying encountered an armed attack by cartel members. Alvarez, wounded in the ensuing clash, was taken into custody by security forces.
CLASH BROKE OUT DURING THE OPERATION, HE WAS CARRIED OUT ON A STRETCHER
The operation, carried out in the city of Zapopan on November 8, was conducted by special operations units of the Mexican Navy. After security forces reached the area where a restaurant was located, an armed clash broke out. Teams returning fire from cartel members captured Rafael Alvarez Ayala wounded. A navy personnel member was also wounded in the clash.
After the operation, medical teams treated Alvarez. The wounded cartel manager was carried out of the area on a stretcher and taken under treatment, while security forces detained 19 more people.
HIS NAME APPEARS IN THE FILE RELATED TO THE MURDERED MAYOR
Mexican authorities announced that Alvarez, nicknamed "R2," may be linked to the murder of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo. Manzo, known for his fight against organized criminal groups, lost his life after being attacked by gunfire at a Day of the Dead event he attended with his family on November 1, 2025.
Authorities link Alvarez to the murders of 19 other people in addition to Manzo. There is an arrest warrant for the suspect in Mexico on charges of aggravated murder.
THE US WAS ALSO AFTER HIM
The operation was backed by intelligence cooperation between the US and Mexico. Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch announced that Alvarez's location was identified thanks to the work of Mexico's National Intelligence Center and information provided by the DEA. It was reported that US authorities had also issued an arrest warrant for Alvarez on drug trafficking and firearms charges and were also seeking his extradition.
THEY EVEN EXTORTED AVOCADO PRODUCERS
The criminal organization called "Los Rs," which Alvarez is said to have led, operates in the states of Jalisco and Michoacan as an affiliate of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Mexican authorities associate the organization with drug trafficking, murder, kidnapping, unlawful detention, and attacks on security forces.
The organization is said to collect extortion payments especially from business owners and avocado producers in the region. Mexican security units consider Alvarez's capture one of the important operations against the cartel's activities in the region.