Authorities lift highest security alerts and restore flights and transit following cartel violence that left more than 50 dead.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Relative calm began returning to western Mexico on Feb. 25 after days of cartel violence erupted following the killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), according to a report by The Epoch Times.
The violence, triggered by a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Sunday, paralyzed highways, halted flights, and forced residents and tourists to seek shelter as gunmen torched vehicles and erected roadblocks across multiple states.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said during a Feb. 24 briefing that authorities were working to restore order.
“Today there was no school, but tomorrow activities are expected to return to normal,” Sheinbaum said. “In the Guadalajara airport, practically all flights have already resumed, and in Puerto Vallarta, little by little, things are returning to normal.”
She noted that some burned vehicles remained along roadways but were being removed.
Mexico’s Security Cabinet said in a Feb. 24 post on X that affected states were seeing “a gradual reopening of economic and educational activities, with progressive normalization of mobility and strategic operations.”
“In Michoacán, nearly all damaged vehicles have been removed, and in Jalisco, coordinated efforts are underway to remove units that were obstructing roadways,” the Cabinet said. “Some bus services from Mexico City to Colima and Monterrey remain partially suspended, as do routes in Zamora; a blockade remains in place on the Zapotlanejo–Lagos highway near Tepatitlán.”
The Cabinet added that coordination meetings with local authorities were ongoing to ensure public safety and an orderly return to daily activities.
Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro said the state had lifted its highest security alert level, known as the “Red Code,” while maintaining security deployments, particularly along federal and state highways.
“This morning, public transportation service is operating normally throughout the state,” Navarro wrote on X. He said Guadalajara’s light rail system was running on schedule and conventional bus routes were resuming at about 60 percent capacity. Markets, self-service stores, and financial institutions were also reopening.
The unrest followed what officials described as one of the most significant blows to organized crime in Mexico in more than a decade.
Defense Secretary Gen. Ricardo Trevilla Trejo said Feb. 23 that Oseguera was killed after security forces tracked a key associate linked to his inner circle. Oseguera and two bodyguards fled into a wooded area and were fatally wounded in a firefight.
Authorities said more than 50 people died in the operation and its aftermath. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said 25 members of Mexico’s National Guard were among the dead. Trevilla said eight CJNG members were killed during the raid itself.
The White House confirmed that the United States provided intelligence support for the operation and warned cartels against targeting Americans in retaliation.
Criminal gangs should “know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences under this president, and they already are,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an interview on Feb. 24. “Right now, we are unaware of any reports of any Americans being hurt, kidnapped, or killed.”
In Puerto Vallarta, a major Pacific resort destination, plumes of black smoke were visible above downtown as explosions and gunfire were reported.
Steve Perkins, a 57-year-old tourist from Oklahoma, said he and his wife initially mistook the first explosion for construction noise while sitting on their hotel terrace.
“We heard an explosion and really didn’t think too much of it because we often hear construction noise, you know, going on around downtown,” Perkins said.
Within minutes, he said, they began hearing additional blasts and seeing fires spread.
“The entire downtown in the bay was just covered in thick black smoke, pretty scary,” he said.
The couple changed into running shoes in case they “needed to make a run for it,” Perkins said, adding that they heard screams from nearby streets.
“We’ve never felt unsafe ever—not at one time—until yesterday,” he said. Perkins said they do not plan to return to Puerto Vallarta.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico said personnel in several cities sheltered in place and worked remotely Monday, advising American citizens in affected areas to do the same.
By Tuesday, however, officials reported improving conditions. The embassy said in a Feb. 24 post on X that “Flight schedules have returned to normal in Guadalajara, and many airlines have additional flights scheduled for today, February 24, in Puerto Vallarta,” adding that both airports were secure and operational.
Sheinbaum also addressed concerns about the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Mexico will co-host. She said there was no risk to international visitors and that “all the guarantees” for safety were in place for matches scheduled in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. Mexico is set to host 13 of the tournament’s 104 matches, including four in Guadalajara.
A FIFA spokesperson said the organization was monitoring developments and would continue coordinating with federal, state, and local authorities to ensure public safety.
Oil prices rose in recent days amid concerns that prolonged instability could disrupt the region, though officials said security operations remain ongoing.
By late Tuesday, transportation services were largely restored and commercial activity was resuming, though security forces remained deployed as authorities worked to stabilize Jalisco and neighboring states following the cartel leader’s death.
Original article
Comments