Tourists in Mexico's Puerto Vallarta told to 'shelter in place' as cartel violence erupts
REUTERS
- The US State Department urged American tourists in parts of Mexico to "shelter in place" on Sunday.
- Violence erupted across the country after the local government killed a cartel leader.
- The US warned tourists of violence in Puerto Vallarta, Cancún, Tulum, and elsewhere.
The US and Canada urged their citizens in parts of Mexico to "shelter in place" on Sunday as a Mexican cartel retaliated for the death of its leader.
In videos shared online, burning vehicles and plumes of smoke could be seen rising from Puerto Vallarta and other cities in Mexico. Flights already on their way to the region from the US turned around, and Air Canada said it was suspending operations to Puerto Vallarta.
"While no airports have been closed, roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic and international flights canceled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta," the US State Department said. "Seek shelter and remain in residences or hotels."
As the violence spread, the State Department updated its travel warning to include other popular tourist destinations in Mexico, including Cancún and Tulum.
Puerto Vallarta is one of Mexico's most popular tourist destinations for Americans and Canadians. The area gained fame from the 70s and 80s show "The Love Boat," which was often set there.
The Mexican government said the retaliatory violence came after it killed Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, on Sunday.
The State Department announced last week that it had sanctioned Kovay Gardens — a Mexican timeshare resort — and 17 other companies and five individuals linked to "timeshare fraud schemes" organized by the Jalisco cartel.
"Many of these individuals and entities are based in or near Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination that also serves as a strategic stronghold for CJNG," a press release from the Treasury Department said.
In 2024, the US State Department said it would pay a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Cervantes. The department said that under Cervantes, the cartel has killed rival trafficking groups and law enforcement.