Until the killing of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), little was known about the elite Mexican Army unit that executed the operation. However, their successful mission has thrust this special forces corps—comprising some 2,000 personnel—into the national spotlight in a country plagued by drug-related violence. CJNG News
Just weeks after the operation in which Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes—alias “El Mencho”—was captured and killed, The Associated Press gained access to one of the “Bats” units—as they are popularly known—during a grueling training exercise. The training took place at an altitude of over 4,000 meters, amidst sub-zero temperatures, within the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park in the State of Mexico—located approximately 100 kilometers southeast of the Mexican capital.
With this operation, the military and the administration of Claudia Sheinbaum scored a victory in the fight against criminal organizations, coming amidst recurring criticism from Washington regarding Mexico’s policies for confronting the cartels.
Between 2018 and 2024, it is estimated that at least 300 personnel from the Army and Navy died in clashes with members of organized crime groups. During the operation to capture “El Mencho,” three soldiers lost their lives; subsequently, another 25 National Guard members were killed during the retaliatory attacks that erupted across Jalisco following the drug lord’s death.
Training at High Altitudes
As the sun began to break over the rugged peaks of the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl range, dozens of uniformed personnel moved back and forth within a makeshift military encampment. They were organizing the sleeping bags, tents, water, and rations they would carry in their backpacks—each weighing up to 25 kilograms. To prevent the heavy load from causing knee and back injuries—especially when scaling snow-capped mountains—one of the unit’s instructors (who spoke on condition of anonymity and kept his face concealed for security reasons) explained that their physical training involves a regimen of progressive marches, starting at 12 kilometers per day and gradually increasing to over 30 kilometers daily.
Dispensing with strict protocol, the soldiers and officers lined up with their aluminum mess kits to receive rations of beans, pork, and tortillas, along with a cup of instant coffee.
As the troops ate, one of them kept a unit pennant—along with a goat’s skull—held aloft at all times. As the instructor explained, the staff bearing the pennant must always remain upright, as it symbolizes the unit’s morale, while the pennant itself represents their “mystique and *esprit de corps*.”
**Secrecy: Their Life Insurance**
Unlike other military personnel who typically display their insignia, rank, and surname openly, the standard for this Green Beret unit is to remain shrouded in secrecy. From the moment they join “Los Murciélagos” (The Bats), secrecy becomes their very *raison d’être*—the ultimate guarantee of safety for both themselves and their families. Consequently, they adopt a secret codename—which they choose themselves—and a numerical designation that remains with them throughout their entire tenure with the unit. Another emblem that always accompanies them is a distinctive patch—dating back to the unit’s origins in the 1990s—featuring a pair of bat wings superimposed over a map of Mexico; it is this emblem that gave rise to their nickname.
Before commencing their ascent toward the summit of the dormant volcano Iztaccíhuatl—Mexico’s third-highest mountain, standing at approximately 5,200 meters above sea level—the unit gathered within a rocky alcove at a site known as “La Joya” to pay tribute to “La Mujer Dormida” (The Sleeping Woman), as the mountain is also affectionately known. “Lady Iztaccíhuatl, thank you for welcoming us. Thank you for your great kindness. I hope to return soon,” proclaimed one of the sergeants in a prayer-like address, which was echoed in a powerful chorus by his 48 comrades.
As they were withdrawing from the site, one of the uniformed men approached the niche and placed there a stone bearing the names of the 35 officers who would participate in the climb, a drawing of their unit crest, the motto “Everything for Mexico,” and the unit number of the Special Forces Officers’ Course.
A similar ritual was performed by another soldier, who placed a small wooden plaque in the niche, upon which was carved the inscription: “The Green Berets love God, because God loves the Green Berets.”
