On Sunday evening the Foreign Office updated its website to warn Brits about security incidents across the state of Jalisco, including in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta
Holidaymakers across southwest Mexico are being told to remain inside their hotels after the death of a powerful drug lord has resulted in a number of violent attacks.
The Mexican army carried out a significant operation which resulted in El Mencho, real name Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, death on February 22. The killing of the drug lord set off several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles, tactics commonly used by the cartels to block military operations.
Videos circulating on social media showed smoke billowing over the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, and people sprinting through the airport of the state’s capital in panic.
As well as chaos on the ground it has also caused chaos for air transport as two major airports — Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast and Guadalajara, which will host matches during the 2026 World Cup, have experienced severe disruptions, reports The Independent.
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.
But just months out from the tournament, the impacts of the cartel chaos has football fans fearing for their safety.
Thirty inbound flights from the United States, Mexico and Canada have either reversed course mid-air or been forced to land at alternative destinations. Further cancellations mean several thousand tourists attempting to depart Puerto Vallarta on Sunday now have no way to leave.
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Puerto Vallarta airport posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter) saying: “By decision of the airlines, today, Sunday, February 22, 2026, all international operations and most of the domestic flights have been canceled. We urge passengers and users to remain calm and follow all instructions provided by airport personnel at all times.”
The statement added: “The situations reported in various parts of the state did not impact the airport’s internal operations or the safety within its facilities. The airport is under the protection of personnel from the National Guard (GN) and the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), as part of ongoing coordination efforts with federal authorities.”
On Sunday evening the Foreign Office updated its website to warn Brits about security incidents across the state of Jalisco, including in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.
The updated messaged reads: “Serious security incidents have been reported on 22 February across the state of Jalisco, including in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, following a federal law-enforcement operation against organised crime in the municipality of Tapalpa.
“Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have issued a public advisory to stay indoors. Routes to airports may be blocked. You should exercise extreme caution, follow local authorities’ advice, including orders to stay indoors and avoid non‑essential travel in affected areas.
“Security incidents have also been reported in other parts of Mexico. As the situation develops, wherever you are in Mexico, you should stay alert and follow local security advice.”
British tourists on the Caribbean side of Mexico, particularly around Cancun, remain outside the danger zone.
The terrifying violence has broken out barely 100 days before Mexico City hosts the opening game of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa. This will be the biggest World Cup in history, with 48 teams competing over 104 games between June 11 and July 19.
