Terrified tourists in Puerto Vallarta watch shops and pharmacies get torched to the ground and toxic fumes blanket beaches: Live updates
Updated:
The US State Department has issued a security alert for all Americans stranded in Mexico after chaos erupted when the army killed the leader of a powerful cartel.
The intense commotion and code red warning was triggered in the early hours of Sunday, when the Mexican Army went into the rustic town of Tapalpa, which is about 170 miles southeast of Puerto Vallarta, in the state of Jalisco.
They killed Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes, according to high-ranking officials who spoke with local publications.
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 showed plumes of smoke billowing over the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta, and people sprinting through the airport of the state’s capital in panic.
On Sunday afternoon, Air Canada announced it was suspending flights to Puerto Vallarta ‘due to an ongoing security situation’ and advised customers not to go to their airport.
Follow along for live updates.
Terrified tourists in Puerto Vallarta watch shops and pharmacies get torched
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.’
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.
US Senator urges tourists to sign up for ‘Smart Traveler’ program
US Senator Gary Peters urged tourists from his state to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which allows the State Department to contact Americans in case of an emergency.
Delta flight bound for Mexico forced to divert
A Delta flight from Detroit, Michigan to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was forced to divert to Alabama on Sunday amid the civil unrest.
Flight 1901 left Detroit Metro Airport at 8.22am ET, according to FlightAware. It had reached the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon when it suddenly diverted to Birmingham-Shuttleworth International Airport.
It landed there at 2.18pm ET.
‘As safety comes before all else, Delta flight 1901 operating from DTW to PVR diverted to BHM as a result of the developing civil unrest in the area and eventual airport closure at PVR,’ a spokesperson for the airline said in a written statement. ‘We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels.’
The spokesperson added that nearly all passengers were rebooked on a flight from Birmingham back to Detroit.
According to FlightAware, the flight, DL9901, left Birmingham at 6.40pm ET and was expected to land just after 9pm ET.
As of Sunday evening, flights out of Puerto Vallarta International Airport are suspended, Delta noted.
Airports operating normally, government says
The Mexican Federal Civil Aviation Agency said airports in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Tepic ‘continue to operate normally’ despite airlines canceling flights to the region.
The agency said it is continuing to collaborate with security agencies to guarantee safety and is in ‘constant communication’ with officials to provide updates on airport status.
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, which runs the Puerto Vallarta airport, also said the facility is under the protection of the National Guard and the Ministry of National Defence.
‘However, by decision of the airlines, today … all international operations and most domestic flights are cancelled,’ it said in a statement.
Firefighters seen responding to burnt-out bus
Photos show firefighters responding to the scene of a burnt-out bus in Puerto Vallarta.
The World Cup is facing fresh turmoil after cartel violence erupted in Mexico, prompting the Canadian government to urge people not to visit its co-host for the soccer showpiece.
Millions of fans from around the world will descend on the US, Mexico and Canada for this summer’s tournament.
Mexico is slated to host 13 games across three cities – Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey – including the curtain raiser in Mexico City on June 11.
New Yorker under shelter-in-place
New Yorker Aaron Mason, of Buffalo, told WKBW how he is currently under a shelter-in-place order.
‘You don’t think that going on vacation, that you’re going to be suddenly at the center of what’s become an international news story, but that’s where we are,’ he said.
Mason also shared how he saw flames the ‘got closer, and I noticed a car was on fire.’
Missouri executive director says he has no water
Jason Ray, the executive director of the Southwest Missouri Council of Governments, shared on Facebook that he is safe but has no water.
‘We are still safe, but there have been attacks all day throughout the city, which we have watched from our vantage point,’ he wrote.
‘Our security guards say there have been shootings nearby and reported drone usage by the terrorists. They have attacked the utilities, so our building is operating on a generator and there is no water supply. We filled jugs of water earlier, and have charged phones and batteries.
‘The airport is reportedly under control of the cartel.
‘There is finally some military aircraft in the area, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a response from public safety officials.
‘We are scheduled to come home tomorrow, but it does not appear the highways will be back open, yet alone any sort of order restored at the airport.
‘We are staying inside and hope this will calm down soon!’
Flights in and out of Mexico are cancelled
United Airlines, WestJet and Air Canada have all diverted flights heading into Jalisco, as well as other Mexican states, citing security concerns.
United Airlines is offering waivers to travels who booked flights to airports in Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Manzanillo. The airline is offering free rescheduling for flights headed to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.
Air Canada is offering free rebooking for flights that were going to Puerto Vallarta.
Cartel members are seen exchanging fire with forces, video shows
Police in Cancun urge against sharing unverified information
Police in Cancun are urging the public against sharing unverified information to prevent the spread of false information.
In a notice reposted to Facebook by the mayor of the Benito Juárez municipality — where Cancun is located —- police said they are conducting ‘surveillance’ and ‘operational’ actions,
Authorities urged residents to stay informed through official sources.
In 2020, it carried out a spectacular assassination attempt with grenades and high-powered rifles in the heart of Mexico City against the then head of the capital´s police force and now federal security secretary.
The DEA considers the cartel to be as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico’s most infamous criminal groups, with a presence in all 50 U.S. states.
It is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the U.S. market and, like the Sinaloa cartel, earns billions from the production of fentanyl and methamphetamines.
Sinaloa, however, has been weakened by infighting after the loss of its leaders Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, both in U.S. custody.
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