With flights to and from western Mexico canceled following the Mexican army’s killing of a powerful cartel leader, U.S. travelers are facing a frightening ordeal as they try to safely get back home.
Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, aka “El Mencho,” was killed on Sunday in Jalisco state, thrusting the region into chaos.
In widespread acts of retaliation, cartel members set cars on fire and blocked road in 20 Mexican states.
Large parts of Mexico are in chaos after the death of “El Mencho.” Brittany Hope reports for the NBC4 News at 6 a.m. on Feb. 23, 2026.
Locals, including those living in Jalisco’s capital of Guadalajara, locked themselves inside their homes to stay safe.
U.S. travelers visiting Mexico, including travelers in the resort community of Puerto Vallarta, were ordered to shelter in place due to the ongoing violence and cartel retaliation. In Puerto Vallarta, thick black smoke could be seen rising from the resort skyline.
On Sunday, cities in Jalisco turned into ghost towns.
“It’s completely empty, which is really not normal here in Guadalajara,” Guadalajara resident Karol Gonzalez Parra told NBC Los Angeles in a Zoom interview. “There’s not only fires in the public transportation — there’s also private fires.”
Multiple airlines including Alaska, Delta, and American announced Sunday that they were cancelling flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara out of an abundance of caution, impacting some flights at Los Angeles International Airport. Given the circumstances, the airlines offered a flex travel policy to allow people to cancel or change their flights without penalty fees.
As of 10 a.m. Monday, Flight Aware was tracking several canceled flights that were supposed to travel to and from LAX to Guadalajara’s Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport (GDL) and Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) in Puerto Vallarta.
Drone footage recorded Sunday showed columns of black smoke from burning cars and buildings across Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, after a cartel leader was killed.
Fear and frustration in Puerto Vallarta
The fear and frustration continued Sunday night, with locals and visitors in Western Mexico scared to go outside, unsure when the violence would end and when travelers would be able to go home.
Former NBCLA investigative reporter Joel Grover was on a trip to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday and described the atmosphere.
“Not a single person is out,” Grover told NBCLA from his hotel room. “There is a shelter-in-place order, and people seem to be following that order. It is eerily quiet.”
Grover said he wasn’t quite sure when he’d be able to leave.
“I’m supposed to come home in a few days, but I know people who were supposed to get out today and tomorrow, flights are getting backed up. It’s really an unknown,” Grover explained.
Puerto Vallarta’s restaurants and businesses also shut down on Sunday as a precaution.
“Nobody can go outside,” Puerto Vallarta property manager Mike Ginsberg told NBCLA. “We’ve had to contact all of our guests in all of our units — there’s 22 units — so, we’ve had to contact everybody and make sure they’re OK.”
Some Americans are trapped in Mexico after the killing of ‘El Mencho,’ leader of the powerful Jalisco cartel. John Cádiz Klemack reports for the NBC4 News at 5 a.m. on Feb. 23, 2026.
Journalist Benjamin Zamora flew from Guadalajara to his home in Las Vegas early Sunday morning. In a video interview, he told NBCLA it was difficult getting to the airport because many roads were blocked with scorched cars.
Once Zamora got to the airport, he said people were frightened because they thought there were armed men inside the terminal.
“I went to the men’s restroom, and I was very surprised to see a lot of ladies there, like older ladies. They were sheltering there with their kids,” Zamora explained. “And other people started running because there was misinformation.”
Zamora travels often to Jalisco and said, unfortunately, this type of violence by the cartels is common in local communities. Still, Sunday’s chaos felt especially concerning.
“Well, even though I’m a journalist and I’ve been covering this for a long time, I can tell you that I was pretty worried and scared,” Zamora added.
Allison Craig is a passionate sports writer and analyst with a deep love for game strategies, player performances, and the latest trends in the sports world. With years of experience covering football, basketball, tennis, and more, she delivers insightful analysis and engaging content for sports enthusiasts.
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