On July 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned José Guadalupe Ruiz Bañuelos—alias “El Venado”—a trusted pilot for Audias Flores Silva (“El Jardinero”), a commander of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) who is currently detained in Mexico.
“El Venado’s” name was included in the largest action the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has ever taken against this criminal organization: the blocking of more than 50 individuals and entities in a single day.
OFAC designated him pursuant to Executive Order 14059 and E.O. 13224 (as amended) for providing financial, material, and logistical support to Flores Silva. The only operational detail the Treasury has released regarding Ruiz Bañuelos is specific: he used clandestine airstrips across Nayarit to advance “El Jardinero’s” interests from the air.
Beyond that, there is little public record of him. His name does not appear in previous indictments or wanted lists prior to this week.
The photo released by OFAC this Thursday—showing a man of medium build with a short beard and a blue T-shirt—is the first official image of him to circulate as part of efforts to financially isolate targets and hinder their ability to operate normally.
