Looks like Mexico is off the Spring Break list

Leave a CommentLooks like Mexico is off the Spring Break listCommentary, Government

The situation in cartel-controlled or influenced areas of Mexico, particularly Puerto Vallarta, is highly volatile as of February 23, 2026.

The major development driving current events is the killing of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

President Donald Trump has publicly offered U.S. military assistance to Mexico in combating the cartels multiple times, stating in recent remarks that he has asked Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum “numerous times, would you like us to take out the cartels?” amid the ongoing violence following El Mencho’s death—though Mexico has not accepted direct U.S. intervention.

He was killed on February 22, 2026, during a Mexican military operation in Jalisco state (aided by U.S. intelligence, per some reports). El Mencho had led one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent cartels, heavily involved in fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine trafficking, as well as diversifying into activities like timeshare fraud targeting U.S. citizens in the Puerto Vallarta area.

This killing triggered immediate retaliatory violence from suspected CJNG members across multiple states (at least 20 reported), including widespread road blockades (over 250 points), arson attacks on vehicles, buses, businesses, banks, and pharmacies, and clashes with security forces. In Puerto Vallarta specifically:

  • Plumes of smoke rose over the city from burning vehicles and structures.
  • Armed groups (including masked gunmen in some accounts) conducted raids, blocked roads, and set fires.
  • Tourists and residents reported chaos, with people sheltering indoors, hearing gunfire or helicopters, and seeing black smoke near beaches or the Romantic Zone.
  • The airport saw panic, flight cancellations (from airlines like Air Canada, Southwest, Alaska, Delta, and others), and disruptions due to roadblocks affecting access.
  • Taxis and ride-share services were suspended.
  • Some reports described the streets as “eerily quiet” or like a war zone temporarily, with tourists feeling trapped in hotels or resorts.

The U.S. State Department and embassy issued urgent security alerts (as of February 22-23, 2026), urging U.S. citizens in affected areas—including Jalisco state (Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Chapala), and others like parts of Michoacán, Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Baja California, and Quintana Roo—to shelter in place until further notice. U.S. government staff in several locations (including Puerto Vallarta) were doing the same and working remotely. A 24/7 crisis hotline was activated for affected Americans.

Mexican authorities reported clearing many roadblocks by late February 22, and some signs of life returning by Monday morning (February 23) in Puerto Vallarta, but the situation remained tense with fears of further escalation or power struggles within the cartel. At least dozens have been killed nationwide in related violence (including National Guard troops and cartel members), though exact figures vary.

Puerto Vallarta is a major tourist hub in Jalisco, a CJNG stronghold, and while tourist zones are often insulated from day-to-day cartel issues, events like this can spill over dramatically. Broader cartel dynamics in Mexico involve ongoing turf wars, government operations, and U.S. designations (CJNG was labeled a foreign terrorist organization in 2025).

This is a fast-moving crisis—conditions could change rapidly. For the latest, check official sources like the U.S. Embassy in Mexico (mx.usembassy.gov) or State Department travel advisories (travel.state.gov).

If you’re in the area or planning travel, follow local authorities and avoid unnecessary movement.

Tourism dealt blow

The fallout from the retaliatory violence following El Mencho’s killing has severely disrupted Puerto Vallarta’s tourism industry, with immediate flight cancellations by major U.S. carriers (including Southwest, Delta, American, and others), suspended ride-shares and taxis, shelter-in-place orders from the U.S. Embassy stranding visitors in hotels, and widespread reports of burned vehicles, road blockades, and chaos causing panic among tourists. As Spring Break 2026 approaches (typically mid-to-late March), the unrest—coupled with ongoing advisories urging Americans to reconsider travel to Jalisco state—has prompted trip cancellations, including group bookings and cruise line adjustments (e.g., Holland America rerouting calls), raising fears of significant revenue losses for resorts, businesses, and the local economy reliant on U.S. and Canadian visitors, even as officials work to restore normalcy.

Meanwhile on our side

The U.S. side of the Mexico border is significantly safer now, with dramatic reductions in illegal crossings and migrant encounters under the Trump administration’s aggressive security measures—including expanded border wall construction, zero releases into the interior for nine straight months, and historic lows in apprehensions (e.g., just over 6,000 Southwest Border Patrol apprehensions in January 2026, down over 95% from prior averages). These policies have restored operational control, minimized spillover risks from cartel violence south of the border (despite recent unrest in Mexico prompting increased Texas DPS presence as a precaution), and contributed to fewer transnational threats reaching American communities, even as fentanyl seizures at ports of entry remain a focus amid broader enforcement gains.