In the high-stakes, anarchical underworld of Mexico's drug cartels, a new dynamic emerges following the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as 'El Mencho'. His widow, Rosalinda González Valencia, 63, nicknamed 'La Jefa'—The Boss—now finds herself at the epicenter of a nation reeling from waves of cartel violence. El Mencho, the brutal mastermind and leader of the savage Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed on Sunday in Jalisco state by Mexican soldiers. His death triggered violent revenge rampages across Mexico, leading to widespread chaos with schools closed, travelers stranded, airports in disarray, and gas stations set ablaze.

El Mencho, 59, had a staggering $15 billion bounty on his head. The circumstances of his capture were revealed by Mexican Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla, who stated that a visit from a 'romantic partner' led to his demise. An associate of this woman subsequently informed authorities of El Mencho's location, prompting special forces to storm his lair. While Trevilla did not identify the woman, and it remains unclear if it was Rosalinda, reports indicate the couple, who had three children, separated in 2018, and El Mencho had been linked to other women.

Despite the male-dominated nature of the cartel world, Rosalinda is now considered by some as the best-positioned person to potentially inherit her late husband's vast power. Such a scenario evokes comparisons to fictional portrayals of female cartel bosses in productions like Netflix's "Griselda" or the Oscar-winning movie "Traffic." Rosalinda is no stranger to the law herself; she was arrested and released in 2018, then recaptured by the Mexican army in 2021. The Mexican government hailed her 2021 detention as a 'significant blow to the financial structure of organized crime,' accusing her of involvement in 'the illicit financial operation of an organized crime group.' Mike Vigil, former international operations chief for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, branded her a 'narco queen,' asserting she possessed "all of the keys, all of the confidence of El Mencho, all of the information, and was responsible for laundering the cartel’s money." After her 2021 arrest, Rosalinda, recognized as a clever businesswoman, was jailed for five years for money laundering, but released early last year for good behavior, according to Mexican news reports. Her current whereabouts are unknown.

The Oseguera-González family has faced significant legal challenges. By Rosalinda’s 2021 arrest, two of her three children were already incarcerated in the US. Her daughter, Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez, known as 'La Negra,' a dual US and Mexican citizen born in San Francisco, was arrested in Washington D.C. in 2020 while attending a court hearing for her brother. She pleaded guilty to five counts of money laundering under the Kingpin Act and served a 30-month jail sentence. The Department of Justice stated she owned or helped manage six US-sanctioned businesses, including sushi companies and a tequila operation. 'La Negra' was released in 2022. Rosalinda’s son, Rubén Oseguera González, known as 'Menchito' or 'Little Mencho,' was extradited to the US in 2020 on drug trafficking charges. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison and ordered to forfeit over $6 billion in drug trafficking proceeds, having been considered CJNG’s second-in-command responsible for trafficking over 50 tons of cocaine. The couple's other daughter, Laisha, has maintained a much lower public profile.

Rosalinda, the eldest of up to 18 siblings, is also the niece of 'El Maradona,' a powerful figure from the 1990s who founded the Milenio cartel. Her clan, originally avocado farmers, diversified into marijuana and later morphed into Los Cuinis, a money laundering cartel named after a rapidly reproducing squirrel. According to the DOJ, Los Cuinis