After the Mexican government, with U.S. support, killed the boss of the world's largest drug cartel, Mexico's major resort areas were thrown into turmoil. As the cartel, which lost its boss, moved to strike back, violence erupted across Mexico.
According to Bloomberg and other foreign media on the 23rd (local time), the Ministry of National Defense of Mexico said it killed Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," the boss of the drug trafficking group "Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)," in a military operation the day before. Since then, criminal groups have begun retaliating by blocking roads and setting vehicles on fire, causing major disruptions for travelers.
The areas hit hardest by the violence are Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, famous tourist destinations in Jalisco state in western Mexico. These cities had been considered relatively safe from drug-related violent crime, but the operation to kill Oseguera has turned them into centers of unrest. Guadalajara is also one of the cities scheduled to host a North and Central American World Cup match in June.
Flights to Mexico are also being canceled one after another. According to The New York Times (NYT), several airlines, including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, canceled flights. The carriers issued travel advisories for the airports in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara and waived change fees.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she hopes flight operations will be fully restored by Tuesday at the latest.
CNN said, "Tourists are stranded in popular areas like Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara and unable to return home," while adding, "Airlines said many flights to other destinations such as Cancun, Los Cabos and Mexico City will operate as scheduled."
Cruise ships, one of the main modes of transportation for tourists in Mexico, also suspended some itineraries. Carnival Corporation, the world's largest cruise operator, said Royal Princess and Holland America's Zaandam skipped their scheduled Monday calls at Puerto Vallarta. Norwegian Cruise Line also said it canceled the Puerto Vallarta call planned for Wednesday for its ship Norwegian Bliss.
Hotels in tourist areas have effectively turned into shelters for visitors over the past few days. A group of visitors from Winnipeg, Canada, told Bloomberg, "Our flights were canceled, and even hotel staff could not get home safely and had to spend the night outside." Some tourists were also reportedly struggling to obtain food.
Jim Beck, an American tourist, said he left his hotel in Puerto Vallarta on Sunday to buy breakfast and "saw blown-up taxis blocking roads across the city," adding to CNN, "Soon people were running down the streets screaming and shouting, and everyone was told to return to their hotels."
Governments also moved to protect their citizens. The U.S. Department of State expanded shelter-in-place orders to several regions of Mexico, including popular destinations such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Tulum, Tijuana and Puerto Vallarta. The Canadian government also expanded its list of affected areas on the night of the 22nd and advised its citizens to follow local authorities' guidance, including shelter-in-place orders, and travel only when safety is confirmed.