In a terrifying turn of events, American tourists visiting the popular Mexican beach town of Puerto Vallarta have found themselves trapped, caught in the crossfire of a violent cartel war that has erupted in the region. The chaos was sparked by the death of a notorious drug lord at the hands of the Mexican military, setting off a wave of retaliatory attacks that have brought the area to a standstill.
Shelter-in-Place Orders as Chaos Unfolds
According to CNN reports, the U.S. State Department and Canadian government have both issued urgent advisories, urging American and Canadian citizens in the state of Jalisco, including the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, to shelter in place immediately. Roadblocks, burning vehicles, and armed clashes have been reported across the region as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel seeks to avenge the death of its leader, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, who was killed by the Mexican army on Sunday.
Tourists Caught in the Crossfire
Barb Williams, a Canadian tourist from Toronto who was visiting Puerto Vallarta, described the terrifying scenes she witnessed. "The sound was phenomenal and then just the violent flames," she told The Globe and Mail. "It was full blast right away, kind of like the movies." As helicopters with mounted guns flew overhead, Williams and other tourists were ordered to remain in their hotels and residences, unable to venture out as the cartel violence unfolded around them.
A Troubling Escalation
What this really means is that the already-fraught security situation in parts of Mexico has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. The killing of "El Mencho," one of the country's most notorious cartel leaders, has unleashed a ferocious backlash from his criminal organization, putting innocent tourists and civilians in the line of fire. The bigger picture here is that the Mexican government's crackdown on cartels, while necessary, often leads to these types of violent retaliations that wreak havoc on local communities and threaten the country's vital tourism industry. As Marca reports, the U.S. has now ordered immediate shelter-in-place measures in five Mexican states due to the ongoing violence.
For the trapped American and Canadian tourists, the situation is undoubtedly terrifying and uncertain. The only hope is that the violence subsides quickly, and that the Mexican authorities are able to restore order and ensure the safe passage of visitors out of the affected areas. Until then, these travelers remain effectively hostages to the brutal cartel war raging around them.