Within hours of the killing of Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as El Mencho, in a military raid on Sunday, gunmen suspected to be his loyalists blocked motorways across several states and set cars and businesses ablaze.
Tourists and residents were urged to stay indoors in some towns, while lorry drivers were advised to take safe routes or return to depots until the violence eased. Several airlines, including Air Canada, United Airlines and Aeromexico, cancelled flights to Puerto Vallarta, a beachside resort town where tourists filmed smoke rising from fires.
The burst of violence across more than half a dozen states painted a familiar scene for Mexicans who have spent two decades watching successive governments wage war on drug cartels.
A member of Oseguera's Jalisco New Generation Cartel said the blazes and sporadic gunfire were carried out in revenge for the killing of the drug lord. They warned of further bloodshed as groups move to take control of the cartel.
“The attacks were carried out in revenge for the leader’s death, at first against the government and out of discontent," the gang member said.
But "internal killings are coming, by the groups moving in to take over", they added.
Holidaymakers urged to stay indoors
Tourists in Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, filmed thick waves of smoke obscuring ocean views. Daniel Drolet, a Canadian who has spent many winter holidays in the city, said he was concerned a new era of violence was taking root in the typically placid area. "I have never seen anything like this before," he added.
In the state of Jalisco, which includes Puerto Vallarta, authorities reported that gunmen attacked a base for the National Guard military police and recommended hotel guests remain indoors. Public transport was suspended.
-
Smoke rises from a burnt lorry on a motorway in Mexico's Jalisco state, after the killing of drug lord El Mencho caused widespread violence. AFP -
The burnt shells of vehicles are left scattered on a motorway in Jalisco state. AFP -
Smoke billows from a lorry set alight in the violence. Haulage companies have called on drivers to return to depots. AFP -
Vehicles and businesses have been set a light in several Mexican states, as the violence spreads. AFP -
Tourists and residents were urged to stay indoors, while lorry drivers were advised to take safe routes. AFP -
Smoke billows across Guadalajara airport. Several airlines cancelled flights in Mexico. Reuters -
Travellers gather at Guadalajara airport Gang violence has caused heavy disruption in Mexico. Reuters -
Vehicles burn in Mexico, where El Mencho was killed in a military operation. Reuters -
Members of the National Guard stand guard outside a building in Mexico City where the body of El Mencho is thought to be held. Reuters
Other scenes of criminal activity and the military response were captured in videos shared by government security sources. A military tank was driven through a residential neighbourhood in the central state of Aguascalientes. Roadblocks paralysed the usually busy Mexico-Puebla motorway. In the state of Colima, cartel members in pick-up trucks blocked a road.
A haulage group said in a statement it was "profoundly worried" by the violence and recommended that lorry drivers keep to safe areas or return to their operating yards.
The state of Guanajuato, a national guard stronghold, reported 55 incidents across 23 municipalities, with 18 arrests, but said by evening all incidents were under control.
Authorities have not reported any casualties beyond several cartel members and officials killed during the military operation.
Years of violence
Previous cartel arrests and killings have led to outbreaks of violence – whether by members avenging their leader or rival gangs muscling in on their territory – prompting Mexican authorities to hesitate before launching major campaigns.
In 2019, Ovidio Guzman, a son of Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, was detained briefly, setting off widespread gun battles. His arrest in 2023 led to more violence.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who previously served as ambassador to Mexico, said: “It’s not surprising that the bad guys are responding with terror. But we must never lose our nerve.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged the unrest in a social media post, but struck a calm tone. "In most of the national territory activities are happening with absolute normalcy," she said.
