Mexican gang members plunged the country into chaos after the leader of the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in Mexico, Nemesio Osguerra, known as "El Mencho," was killed on Sunday in a military operation launched by government forces. Several states witnessed violence and riots, which caused the cancellation of several flights and disruptions in land transport.

Published on: 02/23/2026 - 08:46 Last updated: 02/23/2026 - 13:50

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Armed men suspected of being supporters of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in Mexico, Nemesio Osguerra, known as "El Mencho," blocked highways in several states and set fire to cars and shops, hours after he was killed in a military raid on Sunday.

In some cities, tourists and residents were asked to stay in their homes, while truck drivers were advised to take safe roads or return to their workplaces until the violence subsided.

Several flights cancelled

Also, several airlines, including Air Canada, United Airlines, and Mexican Airlines, canceled their flights on Sunday to Puerto Vallarta, the coastal resort, where astonished tourists photographed plumes of smoke rising into the sky from the fires.

The wave of violence that has swept more than six states remains a familiar sight to Mexicans, who have spent two decades watching successive governments wage war on drug cartels, which has led to the destruction of large areas of the country.

In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged in a post on the platforms that the violence had occurred, but she spoke in a calm tone. “Activities are proceeding completely normally in most parts of the country,” she said.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who previously served as US ambassador to Mexico, stated in a post on the platforms: “I follow the scenes of violence in Mexico with great sadness and concern.” He added: "It is not surprising that the bad guys respond with terrorism. But we must never lose our nerve."

“The attacks were carried out in retaliation for the killing of the leader.”

A member of Osguerra's Jalisco New Generation gang said the fires and sporadic shooting were in retaliation for Osguerra's killing at the hands of the government, and threatened more bloodshed as the groups moved to control his gang. He continued: "The attacks were carried out in retaliation for the killing of the leader, initially against the government and out of discontent." He added: "But later, internal killings will occur by groups seeking to extend their influence."

On the Pacific coast of Mexico, a five-hour drive from the site of the military operation in the town of Tapalpa where the drug gang leader was killed, vacationers on the pier of Puerto Vallarta were in a state of astonishment and took out their mobile phones to photograph thick clouds of smoke obscuring the blue of the ocean, according to a video clip shown.

Daniel Drolet, a Canadian who has been wintering in Puerto Vallarta for years, said in a phone interview that he was concerned about the emergence of a new era of violence in the usually quiet resort area. He added: "I've never seen anything like this before."

Attack on a National Guard base

In the state of Jalisco, the authorities reported that gunmen attacked a military police base affiliated with the National Guard, and advised guests to remain inside hotels and suspended public transportation service.

Government security sources recorded in video clips and other scenes of criminal activities and the military response, represented by a green military tank making its way through a residential neighborhood in the state of Aguascalientes, and roadblocks paralyzing traffic on the Mexico-Puebla road, which witnesses heavy traffic.

In Colima state, gang members standing in pickup trucks blocked the road. A trucking industry group said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned" about violence on highways, and recommended that truck drivers remain in safe areas or return to their work sites until conditions improve.

France 24/Reuters

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