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Visitors to the picturesque coastal city of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico found themselves confined to their resorts on Sunday, following an alert from government officials about potential “clashes” due to a federal operation in the vicinity.
The skyline of this popular tourist destination, nestled on Mexico’s Pacific Coast in Jalisco state, was dramatically altered by plumes of thick, dark smoke, as captured in photos and videos shared with Fox News Digital.
Guests staying at a local resort reported to Fox News Digital that they were advised to remain within the premises. Interestingly, the reasons behind this precaution were not immediately communicated to them.
In response to the escalating situation, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory on Sunday afternoon, extending a warning to U.S. citizens in several Mexican regions. The advisory strongly recommended that individuals take shelter and avoid travel due to “ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity.”
On Sunday, February 22, 2026, the city of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco was visibly marked by smoke billowing into the sky, a sight documented and shared with Fox News Digital.
The travel warning was issued for parts of Jalisco state, including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala and Guadalajara; Tamaulipas state, including Reynosa and other municipalities; and areas of Michoacan state, Guerrero state and Nuevo Leon state.
Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro announced in a post on X that federal forces carried out an “operation” in the town of Tapalpa earlier Sunday, which led to “clashes” in the area.
“Also as a result of said operation, in various points of that region and in other parts of Jalisco, individuals have burned and blocked vehicles with the aim of hindering the actions of the authorities,” Navarro wrote in the post in Spanish.
In multiple posts, Navarro wrote that “the violent incidents have spread” and “blockades have shifted” as the government and law enforcement work to safeguard citizens.
Navarro added that the government has enacted a “Code Red” to keep the public safe.
Tourists said they were told not to leave their resort in Puerto Vallarta on Sunday. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
“We reiterate the recommendation to avoid leaving your homes,” Navarro wrote in a second post. “The clashes are occurring in several federal entities.”
While government officials did not immediately provide details about the federal operation, local news outlets report that the operation may have involved the Jalisco New Generation cartel and one of its notorious leaders, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes.