US Tourists Told To Shelter in Place in Mexico After Cartel Leader’s Killing Triggers Violence
US tourists in parts of Mexico were urged to shelter in place after a wave of violence erupted following the killing of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, Mexico’s most-wanted cartel boss and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, in a Mexican military operation supported by US intelligence, authorities said.
The operation, carried out Sunday by Mexican Army Special Forces with assistance from air force aircraft and the National Guard’s Immediate Reaction Force, targeted members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico’s Defense Department said. As troops moved in to arrest suspects, they came under fire. Two alleged gang members were taken into custody, the department said.
Weapons seized during the operation included rocket launchers capable of downing aircraft or destroying armored vehicles, according to the statement. The White House said the United States provided intelligence support. Several high-ranking allies and cartel figures linked to Oseguera Cervantes are already in United States custody, with some serving lengthy prison sentences, the US Drug Enforcement Administration said.
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The killing triggered widespread unrest across the country. Mexico’s Security Cabinet said 252 blockades were reported across 20 states, describing them as “localized incidents and isolated blockades,” with most since cleared. Suspected gang members torched buses and businesses and clashed with security forces, officials said.
The violence severely disrupted daily life in Jalisco state. Guadalajara, the state capital, Mexico’s second-largest city and planned location for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, was almost completely shut down on Sunday, the Associated Press reported.
Video obtained by CNN showed multiple fires burning and plumes of smoke rising across Puerto Vallarta, a major resort town on Mexico’s west coast. Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro said earlier that the violence had spread to at least five states.
The US State Department urged American nationals in affected areas to “seek shelter and remain in residences or hotels,” including in parts of Jalisco, Baja California and Quintana Roo. Some US tourists were stranded after several US carriers suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta.
Americans account for most of the 48 million international tourists who visited Mexico last year and stayed at least one night, according to Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism. More than 14 million US citizens flew into Mexico last year, with Puerto Vallarta alone hosting 1.23 million US visitors.
