Puerto Vallarta Cartel Crisis: Mexico Cartel News Live — CJNG Violence Strands Thousands After El Mencho Killing
Puerto Vallarta transformed from one of Mexico's most beloved tourist destinations into a city under siege Sunday, February 22, 2026 ET, as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel unleashed a wave of retaliatory violence following the military killing of its leader, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes. As of Monday morning ET, the security situation is stabilizing — but thousands of tourists remain stranded and Mexico cartel news continues to dominate global headlines.
Puerto Vallarta Under Siege: What Happened
The killing of Oseguera Cervantes set off several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles — a tactic the cartels commonly use to block military operations. Videos circulating on social media showed smoke billowing over the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco and people sprinting through the airport in panic.
A Texas man who escaped on what he believes was the last commercial flight out described the scene vividly. Around 8:15 AM ET, while taking a shortcut through downtown Vallarta, he and his companion encountered a cartel attack on a large delivery truck. "They had riddled the truck with bullets," he said. Upon arriving at the airport, looking outside, he could see thick black smoke rising across the city — to the south toward town and to the north toward Punta Mita. "They were like billowing black, black smoke you'd expect to see if a plane had crashed."
He described the scene outside the plane — with crowds surrounding the aircraft on the tarmac — as reminiscent of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. "It was clearly an evacuation," he said. "It was chaotic, it was very stressful. People didn't know if they were going to get out."
Mexico Cartel News: Flights Canceled, Tourists Stranded
Puerto Vallarta International Airport reported that all international operations and the majority of domestic flights were cancelled following the outbreak of violence, with airlines citing security concerns and uncertainty regarding access routes to the airport.
Airlines that canceled Puerto Vallarta flights included Southwest, Alaska, United, Delta, Air Canada, WestJet, and Porter Airlines. Airport authorities stressed that no violent incidents occurred inside the terminal itself and that facilities remained under the protection of federal security forces.
| Airline | Action |
|---|---|
| United Airlines | Flights canceled |
| Southwest Airlines | Flights canceled |
| Delta Air Lines | Flights canceled |
| Alaska Airlines | Flights canceled |
| Air Canada | Flights suspended |
| WestJet | Flights canceled |
| Porter Airlines | Flights canceled |
US, Canada Issue Shelter-in-Place Orders
The U.S. State Department warned American citizens in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero and Nuevo León to remain in safe places because of the security operations. Global Affairs Canada advised people to exercise a high degree of caution in Mexico, with the security situation warned to "could deteriorate rapidly" across the country. Thousands of Canadians were left stranded.
A Canadian visitor in Puerto Vallarta described the chaos firsthand. He was on a street chatting with friends when a car and a motorcycle with two men sped up the street — the passenger on the motorcycle shooting at the car. He was pulled into a condo building for shelter and waited for the all-clear.
Situation Monday: Signs of Stabilization
After an unprecedented day of unrest following the death of El Mencho, the security situation in Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta has stabilized as of Monday, February 23. The Secretary of Transport announced that public transport service will resume as normal throughout the state. The Municipal Government of Puerto Vallarta has begun the removal of vehicles from roadways to assist in the normal operation of transport.
State authorities stressed that a number of viral images — including gunfire at Guadalajara airport, passengers on the tarmac at Puerto Vallarta airport and images of downtown Puerto Vallarta in flames — are all AI-generated images. Schools in Jalisco and Nayarit remain closed Monday as a precaution.
Mexico Cartel Power Vacuum: What Comes Next
The violence has again spotlighted Guadalajara as it prepares to host multiple FIFA World Cup matches — including a June 18 match between Mexico and South Korea among four fixtures scheduled at the 48,000-seat Estadio Akron. With CJNG now leaderless for the first time in its history, analysts warn that a dangerous internal power struggle for control of one of the world's most violent criminal organizations is only beginning.
Emergency contacts for US citizens in Mexico: US Consulate Guadalajara — 334 624 2102 (within Mexico) or +55 8526 2561 after hours. US citizens can also call the State Department at 1-888-407-4747 from the US.
