By ELIOT FORCE, US NEWS REPORTER – DailyMail.com
Tourist hotspot Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has erupted into fiery chaos after federal forces conducted an operation to kill the leader of a prominent cartel, who have fought back on the embattled streets of the city. The US State Department has issued a security alert for all Americans stranded in the area, warning them to shelter in place, avoid crowds, and minimize their movements.
Catastrophic photos from across the city showed buses exploding in flames, homes torched and billowing black smoke traveling through the sky during the unrest.
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 show vehicles burning in Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Tapalpa, which are all located in the state of Jalisco.
Armed thugs on motorcycles and the sounds of their gunfire have also been reported by residents of Puerto Vallarta. Videos of Mexican forces exchanging fire with cartel members have started popping up on X and Instagram.
Fiery chaos has erupted throughout the Mexican state of Jalisco, leaving some tourists stranded. A bus set on fire by cartel members in the state is pictured
Videos of chaos at Guadalajara International Airport in Jalisco have also been circulating, showing smoke rising from runways and people running in a panic. Other videos show people hiding inside the airport and laying on the ground.
People in the neighboring state of Guanajuato have said they are watching pharmacies and convenience stores get torched to the ground throughout the region.
Authorities have said they are actively working on containing the cartel’s reactions and reinforcing security following El Mencho’s killing.
On Sunday morning, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro announced on X: ‘Federal forces carried out an operation in Tapalpa a few hours ago, which has led to confrontations in the area.