ByRACHEL BOWMAN, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTERandELIOT FORCE, US NEWS REPORTERandSTEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER
Updated:12:01 EST, 23 February 2026
Mexican cartel chaos has spread to popular spring break towns, triggering widespread flight cancellations from Mexico to the United States and leaving travelers scrambling to get home.
President Trump took to Truth Social on Monday to declare that the nation needed to 'step up their effort' on cartel and drug problems amid widespread unrest.
The gunfire between narco gangs and officials began after the Mexican Army went into the rustic town of Tapalpa, which is about 170 miles southeast of Puerto Vallarta, in the state of Jalisco on Sunday, where theykilled 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.
Authorities in Jalisco, Michoacan and Guanajuato reported at least 14 people were killed Sunday, including seven National Guard troops as videos circulating on social media showed tourists walking on beaches with smoke rising in the distance.
The US State Department has issued a shelter in place order due to 'ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity' that encompasses vacation hotspots like Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
Cartel violence has spread to Quintana Roo State according to the US Embassy on Monday.
This includes Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum - all popular Spring Break destinations for American tourists.
Source: Drudge Report
