American Tourists Stranded Amid Violent ‘Code Red’ Cartel Uprising in Popular Mexican Destination

Puerto Vallarta, a popular destination in Mexico, has descended into turmoil after federal forces launched an operation resulting in the death of a key cartel leader. In retaliation, the cartel has unleashed violence on the city’s streets.

The U.S. State Department has issued a security warning for Americans in the vicinity, advising them to stay indoors, steer clear of crowds, and limit their movements for safety.

Dramatic images from the area reveal buses engulfed in flames, houses set ablaze, and thick black smoke dominating the skyline amid the chaos.

The upheaval began early Sunday when the Mexican Army conducted a raid in Tapalpa, a quaint town approximately 170 miles southeast of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco.

During the operation, they reportedly killed Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes, as per information from senior officials cited by local media.

El Mencho was the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels that plays a key role in trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl to the US. 

Videos circulating on social media show vehicles burning in Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Tapalpa, which are all located in the state of Jalisco. 

Armed thugs on motorcycles and the sounds of their gunfire have also been reported by residents of Puerto Vallarta. Videos of Mexican forces exchanging fire with cartel members have started popping up on X and Instagram.

Fiery chaos has erupted throughout the Mexican state of Jalisco, leaving some tourists stranded. A bus set on fire by cartel members in the state is pictured

Chaos and destruction have exploded in the Mexican city

A bus used as a roadblock by organized crime burns following a federal operation in which a government source said Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, commonly known as ‘El Mencho,’ was killed

The US State Department has warned Americans in Jalisco and other parts of Mexico to shelter in place. A burning truck in Jalisco that was extinguished is pictured

People in Guanajuato have said they are watching pharmacies and convenience stores get torched to the ground throughout the state. 

Videos of chaos at Guadalajara International Airport in Jalisco have also been circulating, showing smoke rising from runways and people running in a panic. Other videos show people hiding inside the airport and laying on the ground. 

Authorities have said they are actively working on containing the cartel’s reactions and reinforcing security following El Mencho’s killing.

On Sunday morning, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro announced on X: ‘Federal forces carried out an operation in Tapalpa a few hours ago, which has led to confrontations in the area. 

‘Also as a result of this operation, in various points of that region and in other parts of Jalisco, individuals have burned and blocked vehicles to hinder the action of the authorities.

‘I have given the instruction to immediately set up the security committee with authorities from all three levels of government and to activate the red code in order to prevent acts against the population.’  

People on social media have reported being stranded in Puerto Vallarta, where thick columns of smoke can be seen rising above the city. At least ten vehicles throughout the city were reported as having been set on fire. 

One user on Facebook wrote: ‘My daughter is there now at an Airbnb, I just talked with her and the whole town is on lockdown, she is safe as we speak but it’s a very scary situation.’

Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes was killed by Mexican federal forces on Sunday, according to high-ranking officials who spoke with local publications. The chaos across Mexico is thought to be in response to his death

Videos taken by travelers at Guadalajara International Airport in Jalisco show smoke rising from the runways

Columns of black smoke are pictured rising from Puerto Vallarta, a city popular with tourists. The chaos is thought to be in response to federal authorities killing a prominent cartel leader

A member of Mexico’s security forces is pictured standing watch next to a burning vehicle. At least ten such vehicles have reportedly been set on fire

Another user wrote: ‘We are at Villa del Palmar in Puerto Vallarta and black smoke all around, no buses or taxis, flights cancelled, stores closed, not going anywhere. Was going to sit at beach but smoke smell was terrible and was told it could be toxic.’

Other people on Reddit said they were about to hop on a flight to the Pacific coastal city just before they heard the news. 

‘I was AT THE AIRPORT TERMINAL waiting to go there when we heard this was happening,’ said a user on Reddit. ‘[I’m] In the car going back home. All flights to PV (Puerto Vallarta) grounded indefinitely,’ the user wrote in a follow-up comment. 

A video of dozens of Canadian tourists stranded on the roof of their hotel looking down at the chaos on the streets of Puerto Vallarta began making the rounds on Instagram Sunday afternoon. 

Public transportation in Puerto Vallarta has been suspended, and hotels across the city are advising guests to remain indoors. Some businesses have temporarily closed.

The governor of the neighboring state of Michoacán, Alfredo Bedolla, has also reported that 13 municipalities in his jurisdiction are facing similar unrest. 

Residents of Tapalpa, where El Mencho was killed, reported aircraft flying over the town and military convoys in the hours leading up to the operation to eliminate the cartel leader. 

Roadblocks were later reported in at least six states, including Jalisco, Michoacán, Colima, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato and Aguascalientes. 

Mexico’s federal Security Ministry has announced that it is working to bring back order and that its priority is to ‘ensure the security and protection of citizens.’