The Day El Mencho Fell

An investigative journey into the life, crimes, and downfall of El Mencho, revealing how one of the world's most elusive drug lords built—and ultimately lost—his criminal empire.

A reconstruction of the life of El Mencho, one of the world's most powerful figures in global drug trafficking, whose rise through the ranks of organized crime was marked by remarkable discretion. José Luis Montenegro, an investigative journalist specializing in drug trafficking and organized crime, traces El Mencho's early years—from his childhood in Aguilillas, Michoacán, to his arrival in the United States, his arrest in California on drug trafficking charges, and his eventual deportation to Mexico.

The book also examines the operation that led to El Mencho's capture in Tapalpa, Jalisco, as well as the circumstances surrounding the handling of his body, his funeral, and the potential internal fractures within his criminal organization following his death.