President Sheinbaum said she was hopeful that there would be a further normalization of "activities" throughout Mexico on Tuesday. (Hazel Cárdenas/Presidencia)
At her Tuesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to questions about the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the dissemination on Sunday of videos and images created with artificial intelligence that purported to depict scenes of violence that didn’t actually exist.
The creation of the phony material came amid a violent cartel response to the death of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, who died after he was shot by military personnel in an operation carried out in Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Sunday morning.
A total of 13 World Cup matches will be played in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara this June and July. Mexico is co-hosting the quadrennial tournament with the United States and Canada.
Government to expose ‘all the lies’ that were disseminated on Sunday
A reporter said that members of criminal groups disseminated AI videos on Sunday that created panic, added to fear and were economically damaging as they could lead to a loss of tourism revenue. He asked the president whether it was time to put an end to “this freedom they say they have to lie and distort,” shielded by the right to freedom of speech.
“It is very difficult to define the line where you punish and where you don’t, where there is censorship and where there is not,” Sheinbaum said.
She added that on Wednesday, the government, in its regular “lie detector” mañanera segment, will present “all the lies” that were spread on Sunday.
“Planes burning. Where? The operators of the Guadalajara Airport themselves were saying, ‘there’s no problem, everything’s OK,” Sheinbaum said.
“… There was a lot of news with a very bad intent on Sunday, seeking to create terror, and there was a lot of misinformation,” she said.
Instead of seeking to sanction misinformation, Sheinbaum said she was in favor of encouraging people to stay reliably informed via the government’s official channels of communication, including its social media accounts.
She also said that Mexico has “very responsible” people who “know how to distinguish” reality from fantasy.
Sheinbaum highlights that the security situation has improved since the violent chaos on Sunday
She said she was hopeful that there would be a further normalization of “activities” on Tuesday.
Sheinbaum said that her government is “working every day” to improve security in Mexico, and highlighted that additional military personnel and National Guard troops have been deployed to Jalisco and “some areas” of Michoacán.
Therians — young people who act out their "spritual identity" as animals — mug it up before the camera in the esplanade of the rectory of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León.
(Gabriel Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro.com)
Teenagers trotting on all fours and wearing tails have turned “therian” — an online trend in which people identify as animals — into Mexico’s latest flash point, jumping from TikTok feeds into town plazas, campuses and even Congress.
The term “therian” refers to people who identify on a psychological or spiritual level with a non-human animal.
A student accepts food and eats it doggie-style at a gathering of therians on the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL) campus. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
They often express that inner life in public with masks, ears or tails, or moving like an animal, but without believing they literally change bodies. Making animal sounds is optional and not widespread.
The concept grew out of internet forums in the 1990s and is now a niche global subculture, especially visible in parts of Latin America after taking root in Uruguay and Argentina.
In the United States and Canada, the movement is small, scattered and mostly on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
But the phenomenon of young people presenting themselves as dogs, cats or wolves is on the rise in Mexico. According to the newspaper El País, there was a 500% spike last week of Google searches in Mexico for “what is a therian.”
Recent “therian gatherings” in Mexico City, Monterrey, Cancún and Mérida have drawn crowds of curious onlookers, cameras and, in some cases, hostility.
At the Mexico City campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a much-hyped “therian race” drew hundreds of spectators and dozens of reporters, but only a handful of people who actually identified with the phenomenon.
One shopkeeper who said he spiritually identifies as a dog told El País, “I think it’s easier to find affection as another species than as a human.” Another attendee said, “My love for dogs and the lack of affection at home led me to make this decision.”
Elsewhere, tensions have flared. In Mérida, the first therian meetup at the Monumento a la Patria ended with a young woman dubbed “Lady Therian” being detained after she hurled eggs and insults at people gathered for the event. Later, she declared online that she did not regret her actions.
Mauricio Castillo’s (R) “Therian Law” proposal seeks to protect freedom of expression and respect for young people who identify with the community. (Facebook)
In Monterrey, the backlash is shaping policy debates. A lawyer, Mauricio Castillo, appeared at the Nuevo León Congress with a 28-year-old man wearing a horse head costume to file a citizen initiative.
The “Therian Law” proposal seeks to protect freedom of expression and respect for young people who identify with the community. It would introduce school coexistence protocols, citizen oversight programs, and sanctions for teachers or administrators who allow bullying of students, including therians.
“We are trying to feel dignified in the eyes of society, because they always think we’re crazy and don’t take our opinions into account,” the horse-headed man told reporters. “We are trying to avoid that kind of discrimination.”
A parallel bill — described by local media as the Law of Protocols for Coexistence and Protection of Students in Educational Environments — similarly seeks to shield young people who identify with the community from harassment in public and private schools.
Experts caution against pathologizing the trend. Juan Martín Pérez, coordinator of the Network for Children’s Rights in Mexico (REDIM), told El País that therians are “functional people, with everyday lives, who find in this an identity dimension,” arguing that the current uproar reflects a broader “moral panic” fueled by social media and adult anxiety over youth identity.
According to a resident of the Tapalpa Country Club estate, many homes are rented out to tourists visiting Tapalpa. It is unclear if "El Mencho" owned the home where he was staying. (Tapalpa Country Club)
The final hideout of slain drug lord Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes was a large, well-appointed and modern home in an exclusive residential estate in southern Jalisco.
A day after the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) chief was fatally wounded during a military operation, journalists were allowed into the home where the 59-year-old capo was hiding out.
Algunas fotografías del interior donde se encontraba “El Mencho”.
Se pueden apreciar un altar, una parte de la biblia escrita a mano y tratamiento médico.
The house is located within the Tapalpa Country Club residential development, located near the town of Tapalpa in southern Jalisco.
Oseguera fled the home along with members of his security detail when federal forces swarmed it on Sunday morning, according to the Ministry of Defense. Mexico’s most wanted drug lord was fatally wounded during a confrontation with military personnel in a nearby wooded area and subsequently died from his injuries.
The newspapers Milenio and El Universal were among the media outlets that gained access to the Tapalpa Country Club home on Monday.
Made out of bricks, stone, wood and other materials, the two-story home where Oseguera was located has high ceilings with pendant lights, “fine wood finishes” and wide windows, according to Milenio.
“From the air, the property appears secluded, integrated into the wooded landscape, far from urban noise,” the newspaper reported.
The contents of the home include luxury furniture, neatly folded clothes, plenty of food (including fruit, vegetables and meat), face creams and other personal grooming products, and an altar on a small table featuring statues of Jude the Apostle — patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes — the Virgin of Guadalupe and Charbel Makhlouf, a Lebanese Maronite monk and priest.
Imágenes inéditas de la casa donde se escondía 'El Mencho' en Tapalpa
Also in the home on Monday were candles and other religious items, as well as a handwritten version of Psalm 91, dated Jan. 25, or just under a month before “El Mencho” met his fate.
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge,” reads a section of Psalm 91.
El Universal reported that a medication called Tationil Plus was also found in the home. That medication contains an antioxidant called glutathione, which can be used to treat kidney disease, an ailment from which Oseguera suffered. Melatonin tablets, which can be used to treat insomnia, wine glasses filled with pine cones and an antique table soccer game are also seen in photos and video footage taken inside the house.
The kitchen bench in the home is covered with numerous items, including a bottle of sriracha chili sauce, cartons of milk, pots, a water bottle and a plastic jug. Some of the beds in the home were unmade, an indication that “El Mencho” and his bodyguards may have been sleeping when the federal raid occurred on Sunday morning.
The home has a large back garden that leads to a hilly, forested area, to which Oseguera and his bodyguards fled. Milenio reported that two stones engraved with the figures of Jude the Apostle and the Virgin of Guadalupe mark the limit between the property and the forest.
A neighbor recounts the operation targeting ‘El Mencho’
A resident of the Tapalpa Country Club estate told El Universal that she started hearing gunshots at 7:20 a.m. Sunday. She said that gunfire continued for 45 minutes and noted that a helicopter also fired shots.
National Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla Trejo said Monday that CJNG members managed to shoot a military helicopter during the operation in Tapalpa. Consequently, the helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing at a nearby military facility in the municipality of Sayula, he told reporters.
Trevilla also provided an overview of the operation targeting Oseguera, including details on the cartel leader’s wounding and death while he was being airlifted to a hospital. He described the location as a “complex of cabins” on the outskirts of Tapalpa, a somewhat unflattering description that is incongruent with the apparent luxury of the residential estate, and which would be unlikely to appear in a Tapalpa Country Club brochure.
The resident who spoke to El Universal said that a lot of homes in Tapalpa Country Club estate are rented out, mainly to tourists visiting Tapalpa. She said she didn’t know whether Oseguera lived there, but acknowledged that he had spent some time there. It was unclear who owns the home where “El Mencho” and his entourage were staying.
Tapalpa is popular with tourists, and some stay in the Tapalpa Country estate while visiting the municipality, according to the local mayor.
The town of Tapalpa
The town of Tapalpa is one of Mexico’s many pueblos mágicos, or magical towns.
“The perfect combination of natural beauty, architecture, tranquility, and adrenaline could be a good way to describe Tapalpa, a unique place that offers something for everyone,” states the official guide to Mexico’s 177 pueblos mágicos.
El Universal reported on Tuesday that “amid the tension and the presence of the Army and the National Guard, Tapalpa residents are trying to return to normality, but the panorama in the pueblo mágico continues to be one of empty streets and closed businesses.”
“This Monday, some people went to the center of the municipality, but they still fear that violence will erupt again,” the newspaper wrote.
Reporters from the Associated Press also visited Tapalpa on Monday.
“A day after the Mexican army killed the country’s most powerful drug lord, the picturesque town where it happened was a study in contrasts,” begins an AP report.
“Children whose classes had been suspended by the outbreak of violence played in cobblestone streets and tourist shops were open on Tapalpa’s main plaza Monday. But gunshots also rang out, and just outside the town a dead man lay on the road next to a Jeep sprayed with bullets,” the report continues.
A Televisa reporter said Monday that it was difficult to get to Tapalpa, explaining that he encountered at least 100 burnt-out vehicles on his way to the municipality, some of which were still forming active narco-blockades.
Elon Musk posted on X, the communication platform he owns, that Claudia Sheinbaum says "what her cartel bosses tell her to say,” an accusation the president labeled "absurd" and possibly legally defamatory.
(Cuartoscuro/Shutterstock)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is considering legal action against Elon Musk over accusations on his X platform that link her to drug trafficking and cartel leaders.
The world’s wealthiest man posted on X that Sheinbaum is “just saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say,” while sharing a video clip of Sheinbaum’s morning press conference at the National Palace, in which she says that “returning to the war on drugs is not an option.”
President Sheinbaum stands next to a sign reading “Fentanyl kills you” as she announced Tuesday a new program titled “Young People Transforming Mexico,” part of her policy of bringing culture, education, job opportunities and sports to Mexican youth to discourage them from turning to crime. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
Musk’s X post followed the violent events that took place in several parts of western Mexico after the killing on Sunday of cartel leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, one of the world’s most wanted criminals. So in effect, Musk was accusing the president of Mexico of taking orders from a drug lord her army had just taken down.
Sheinbaum reacted to Musk’s post by saying that accusing her of leading a narco-government is “absurd.”
“If it was absurd to say it before, it’s even more so now,” the president said in her morning press conference. “It falls apart on its own. They don’t even know what to invent, honestly. It’s laughable to read them.”
She added that her legal team is studying the possibility of taking legal action and that nothing is certain yet.
Musks’ post echoes accusations made by U.S. President Donald Trump last year claiming that Sheinbaum had no control over the country, even though he regarded her as a “brave woman.”
“The problem is that she’s petrified by the cartels. They could remove the president in two minutes,” Trump said at the time, adding that “the cartels run Mexico.”
Musk’s X post dovetailed with accusations of complicity with the cartels often hurled by opposition figures against incumbents, usually— though not always — without evidence.
Several legislators from the ruling Morena party immediately came to Sheinbaum’s defense, including Morena party president Luisa Alcalde.
“Wealth does not give moral authority,” she wrote on her official social media channels, adding that Musk should use his platform and X social media network to fight drug consumption, addiction and disinformation.
Meanwhile, Senator Alejandro Murat defended Sheinbaum’s policy, adding that the military operation conducted Sunday “demonstrates that the Mexican armed forces and security forces should not be underestimated: they have acted with resilience and dedication, protecting both Mexican and American citizens,” he said.
Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), died in custody on Feb. 22, shortly after he was captured by Mexican authorities. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
The leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, died in custody on Feb. 22, shortly after he was captured by Mexican authorities. The operation, which came amid renewed US demands for “tangible results” against fentanyl trafficking, appears to have relied on American intelligence support.
This is the most significant intervention against the cartels since the capture of former drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán in 2016. The CJNG is one of the strongest criminal organisations in Mexico and, alongside the Sinaloa Cartel, sits at the center of US claims about fentanyl production and trafficking.
The killing of Oseguera Cervantes, who is better known as “El Mencho,” may have enabled Mexico’s authorities to secure a political win with Washington. But the operation should not be seen as a victory. What often comes next when the Mexican state removes a high-profile cartel figure like El Mencho is an extended period of violence and instability inside the country.
In my own research on criminal conflict in the Tierra Caliente region of western Mexico, I trace how earlier rounds of arrests and state killings have reshaped local criminal groups, broken alliances and created openings for new players and leaders. It was through this very cycle of state enforcement and cartel reorganisation that El Mencho rose to prominence.
El Mencho began as an operational figure linked to the Valencia Cartel, an organisation based in the state of Michoacán. The group lost ground in the late 2000s following sustained pressure from the authorities. After key parts of the Valencia network were dismantled around 2010, El Mencho and other remnants of the group moved to Jalisco further north and founded the CJNG.
The conditions that allowed the CJNG to rise came from the same enforcement repertoire that the authorities have now deployed against it. This pattern matters because it undercuts a common assumption among policymakers, including in U.S. agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, that removing a “boss” equals dismantling a criminal market.
The removal of Mexican criminal leaders does not cause the market for drugs to vanish, nor does it cause trafficking routes to disappear. What changes is the balance of power among groups that already compete for territory, labour and access to ports, roads and local authorities.
After an unprecedented day of unrest following the death of cartel boss El Mencho, the security situation in Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta has stabilized. (Héctor Colin/Cuartoscuro)
Studies that track the so-called “kingpin” strategy, the deliberate targeting of cartel leaders by law enforcement, have found that detentions and killings often trigger short-term spikes in homicides and instability in Mexico. Some work suggests that violence rises for months after a leader’s removal, while other research shows that the killing of a kingpin can provoke a sharper increase than an arrest.
This happens because an affected cartel faces a sudden succession struggle and employs violence to prevent — or respond to — rivals testing the new leadership and trying to renegotiate areas of control. As criminal groups cannot use the formal court system to resolve disputes, they tend to do so through open violence or bargains enforced by coercion.
This logic of violence has already been seen following El Mencho’s death. Reports of cartel gunmen blocking roads, launching arson attacks and carrying out disruptions across multiple states fit a familiar script: an affected organisation signalling its capacity, punishing the state and warning local rivals not to seize the moment.
Even if the state contains this wave of violence, the deeper risk sits in what follows. A leadership vacuum invites internal fracture and external opportunism from rivals who have waited for an opening to test boundaries and settle scores.
Another cycle that keeps repeating across Latin America is that U.S. drug politics shapes security agendas throughout the region. A surge in overdose deaths, for example, can lead to political panic in the U.S. and the application of pressure on Latin American governments to take action, usually through militarized enforcement.
These governments respond with crackdowns, raids and high-profile captures. This is followed by rising violence as criminal organisations fragment and then, after a period of time, governments try to deescalate. The cycle starts again when concern over drug trafficking next arises in the U.S.
Drug prohibition keeps this cycle alive by ruling out any response other than force or criminal law, while failing to produce meaningful results. Most countries have criminalised drugs. But despite governments reporting rising drug seizures each year, deaths linked to drug use globally continue to climb.
Mexico’s security forces cannot end a transnational market that is financed largely by U.S. demand, no matter how many high-profile arrests they make. Operations that result in the killing or detention of cartel figures instead redirect and reorganise the drug trade, while often intensifying violence.
If Mexico and the U.S. want fewer cartel-related deaths, they need to stop treating kingpin killings as the main metric of success. While a high-profile strike temporarily satisfies U.S. pressure, it is Mexican citizens who all too often have to live with the blowback of this approach.
Blockades and arson attacks have been reported everywhere from the Jalisco highlands to Guadalajara and the state's southwestern border with Colima. (Héctor Colín/Cuartoscuro)
Various acts of violence and vandalism were committed in Guadalajara and other parts of the state of Jalisco on Monday night in an apparent continuation of the hostile reaction to the death on Sunday of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes.
Guadalajara-based newspaper El Informador and other media outlets reported on arson attacks and highway blockades in Jalisco, the main stronghold of the powerful CJNG.
CJNG members promptly launched a widespread and extremely violent response to the death of their longtime leader, who died after he was shot by Mexican military forces during an operation in the municipality of Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Sunday morning.
Below is a summary of the incidents that occurred on Monday night in Jalisco. It has not been confirmed that cartel members were responsible for these apparent arson attacks.
A recent model car was set on fire at an intersection in the neighborhood of Oblatos, located a few kilometers southeast of the historic center of Guadalajara.
A fire broke out at a “Punto Limpio” recycling/garbage collection point in the Guadalajara neighborhood of Mezquitán Country.
An OXXO store in the Mariano Otero neighborhood of Zapopan was targeted in an arson attack. El Informador reported that individuals threw a flammable object at the counter, sparking a blaze that firefighters subsequently extinguished.
A fire occurred in the Altea shopping center in Tonalá, a municipality in the Guadalajara metropolitan area.
Another fire occurred in a home in the neighborhood of Toluquilla, located in the Tlaquepaque municipality in the Guadalajara metropolitan area.
A vehicle was set on fire on the Lagos de Moreno-Zapotlanejo highway near the Jalostotitlán toll booth, according to motorists.
Se reporta un nuevo bloqueo en la carretera rumbo a Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, con dos unidades incendiadaspic.twitter.com/4bQTTPykqO
Alleged criminals set up multiple blockades on highways in the municipality of Autlán de Navarro, located in southern Jalisco, not far from the border with Colima.
El Informador reported that fires occurred on the El Grullo-Autlán state highway near the El Mezquite bridge. Federal Highway 80 was also cut off in Autlán due to blockades set up by criminals.
Citing local reports, the newspaper Reforma reported that there were “multiple” confrontations, narco-blockades and vehicles set on fire early Tuesday in the municipalities of Tonaya, Cihuatlán, Tecolotlán, Autlán and San Juan de los Lagos.
Reforma reported that Autlán is considered a “strategic point” for the CJNG, and noted that authorities had searched for “El Mencho” in the municipality.
Federal security cabinet acknowledges blockades in Jalisco
However, in a social media post on Monday night, the federal government’s security cabinet acknowledged that “several blockades” were set up in Jalisco during the course of the day.
The security cabinet, made up officials from various federal security forces as well as the Security Ministry and the Interior Ministry, said shortly before 10 p.m. Monday that 83% of the new blockades had been cleared but seven remained active.
It also said that “isolated blockades” had occurred in the states of Michoacán and Nayarit. The security cabinet said that authorities have responded “immediately” to those blockades.
Jalisco governor updates citizens
In a social media post on Tuesday morning, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus reported that public transport services were operating normally across the state.
He also said that Guadalajara’s main wholesale market, el Mercado de Abastos, was functioning normally on Tuesday morning and highlighted that businesses were open.
“My recognition to the transport workers, service providers, workers, businesspeople, and society in general. Together we will recover our state and our city,” Lemus wrote.
On Monday night, the governor said that classes of “all education levels” would resume on Wednesday.
He also said that in Puerto Vallarta, “we have deployed sufficient personnel to ensure the resumption of public transport service, and the supply of food and services for the hotel zone and the population in general.”
On Sunday, Lemus issued a Code Red security alert, advising residents of Jalisco to stay inside due to ongoing security incidents. On Monday night, he indicated that the Code Red alert could be lifted on Tuesday, as long as the security situation doesn’t deteriorate.
García Harfuch reported on Monday that 25 National Guard officers, a state police officer, a prison guard and a woman — reportedly pregnant — were killed in attacks in Jalisco following the operation targeting “El Mencho.”
He also said that 34 criminals were killed in incidents following the Sunday morning military operation.
Mayor Clara Brugada convened a “permanent” Security Cabinet session to establish protocols and guarantee that all necessary preventative steps were taken.
Once the trouble started Sunday, Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada convened her Security Cabinet in permanent session. (Clara Brugada/X)
Shortly thereafter, she issued a statement confirming that her government’s top priority was the safety of all inhabitants of the nation’s capital.
In a social media post that day, Brugada urged the public to remain calm, adding that strategies were being coordinated with federal security forces.
She also called on the public to seek information only from official channels and to avoid spreading rumors. “Serenity and trust are built with verified information and coordinated efforts,” she said.
Talking to reporters, the mayor insisted that “the nation’s capital remains at peace.”
On Monday, the mayor said all services were operating normally, “and the capital’s Security Cabinet remains in permanent session, in direct coordination with [the federal government] to protect families and ensure tranquility in every borough.”
Additionally, all public offices and institutions were open, and all public transportation systems — the Metro, the Metrobús, cable cars, light rail and Cablebús — continued to operate normally.
At her Monday morning press briefing, President Claudia Sheinbaum said all highways leading in and out of Mexico City were open, adding that the Transportation Ministry’s command center was monitoring the situation. Soldiers and National Guardsmen had established checkpoints at all major entry points.
While Sunday’s takedown of El Mencho was on most people’s minds and most papers’ front pages, Mexico City has experienced relative calm, well into Tuesday. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
One exception was at the Northern Bus Terminal, where routes to the state of Jalisco and points northwest had been canceled. Suspended departures included those to the destinations of Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Tepic, Mazatlán, Sonora, Zacatecas and Tijuana.
The Mexico City International Airport was also operating normally, though some airlines had canceled flights to Puerto Vallarta, scene of some of Sunday’s worst violence.
Security at the airport featured a force of approximately 5,000 agents, comprising personnel from the Naval Airport Protection Unit, the Federal Protection Service, the Mexico City Police Department and private security corporations.
Public schools in the capital opened as usual and the National Autonomous University (UNAM) said activities at its main campus in southern Mexico City would proceed as scheduled.
University officials did urge professors to be flexible with out-of-town students who might have difficulty reaching the city, cautioning students to avoid travel and prioritize safety.
At the same time, UNAM campuses in Morelia, Michoacán; León, Guanajuato; and Juriquilla, Querétaro, were urged to consider holding classes remotely and online.
Cleanup efforts are underway in Puerto Vallarta as the popular Pacific Coast tourist destination seeks to get back to normal following Sunday's unrest. (Héctor Colín/Cuartoscuro)
Puerto Vallarta is steadily moving toward normality following Sunday’s chaotic scenes that temporarily disrupted daily life in this popular Pacific Coast destination. While visitors may still notice the visible presence of police and military personnel throughout the city, officials emphasize that the situation is stabilizing and that precautions remain in place purely as a preventative measure.
Although the previously declared Code Red has technically been lifted, the official transition back to normal status will not begin until Wednesday. Authorities have allowed a short buffer period so residents, businesses, schools and tourism operators can complete preparations and ensure a smooth, organized reopening.
Puerto Vallarta is getting back to normal after cars were set on fire following the death of CJNG leader El Mencho on Sunday. (Héctor Colín/Cuartoscuro)
Cleanup operations and military presence
Visitors and residents should not be alarmed by the continued presence of police and military forces. Their deployment is precautionary and intended to maintain order and confidence as the city resumes operations. This visible security presence is common in Mexico following heightened alerts and is part of a coordinated federal and state response.
Cleanup operations are still actively underway in certain areas. Municipal teams are working efficiently to remove debris, restore affected streets and ensure public spaces are safe. Visitors are advised to avoid areas where cleanup crews are working or where debris remains.
Residents may continue to hear occasional explosions through Friday. Authorities have clarified that these are controlled, safe detonations being conducted as part of standard security procedures. These measures are purely precautionary.
The latest on transportation services and flights
Transportation infrastructure is gradually returning to full operation. Federal and state highways are now fully open. Travelers will notice a strong police and military presence along these routes, ensuring security and smooth traffic flow.
Local transportation services and ride-hailing vehicles are operating at approximately 50% capacity. Public transportation is currently functioning at about 20% capacity, with plans to progressively expand service as roads fully reopen and operational confidence increases.
Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport is operating at roughly 42% of its normal flight schedule. Some flights continue to depart as planned, proof that connectivity is steadily being restored. Airlines are expected to gradually increase operations as the situation stabilizes further.
Puerto Vallarta International Airport is operating, although still at a reduced capacity. (Puerto Vallarta Airport Transport)
For travelers with upcoming itineraries, it is advisable to check directly with airlines and tour providers for the most current status.
Tourism and what’s open
Tourism, the lifeblood of Puerto Vallarta’s economy, is showing encouraging signs of recovery. Some tour operators, both water-based and land-based, have already resumed activities today. Visitors interested in excursions such as boat tours, snorkeling trips, ATV adventures or cultural city tours should confirm availability directly with providers.
Restaurants in the main tourist zones are working toward a coordinated reopening. The stated goal is to have 100% of tourist-area restaurants open by Wednesday. Many establishments are already preparing kitchens, restocking supplies and recalling staff in anticipation of full operations.
Hotels in the hotel zone, Marina and downtown remain functional, with most reporting minimal physical impact from the recent alert. Staff are actively assisting guests and maintaining high service standards to reassure arriving travelers.
What tourists should know
While the atmosphere remains cautious, it is notably calmer than during the height of the alert. Residents have largely resumed normal routines, shopping, dining and commuting, albeit with some understandable vigilance.
The presence of uniformed personnel may feel unusual to visitors unfamiliar with Mexico’s security protocols, but local authorities stress that this visibility is part of ensuring stability and preventing further incidents.
Tourism, the lifeblood of Puerto Vallarta’s economy, is returning to normal. (Visit Puerto Vallarta)
Tourists currently in Puerto Vallarta report that beaches, boardwalk areas and marina districts are gradually seeing activity return. Businesses are motivated to reestablish the vibrant energy that typically defines this coastal destination.
If you are currently in Puerto Vallarta or planning to arrive soon:
Remain aware of official announcements from local authorities.
Avoid areas marked for cleanup.
Confirm tours and transportation arrangements directly with providers.
Allow extra travel time, as services are not yet at full capacity.
Do not be alarmed by security presence or controlled detonations.
A return to normality
The overall trajectory is positive. With highways fully open, airport operations increasing, tours resuming and restaurants targeting full reopening by midweek, Puerto Vallarta appears firmly on the path to normalization.
The phased approach taken by authorities reflects an emphasis on safety, organization and maintaining public confidence.
By Wednesday, with the formal lifting procedures complete and tourist services largely restored, the city is expected to operate at near-normal levels in key visitor areas. While recovery is still in progress, the coordinated efforts of federal, state and local agencies, as well as the resilience of residents and business owners, are clearly visible.
Puerto Vallarta’s strong tourism infrastructure, experienced hospitality sector and proactive security measures suggest that this disruption will likely be temporary. For now, patience, awareness and cooperation remain key as the city completes this transition back to full operation.
Charlotte Smith is a writer and journalist based in Mexico. Her work focuses on travel, politics and community.
Mexico’s national soccer federation anticipates 30,000 fans will be cheering on El Tri at La Corregidora Stadium in Querétaro on Wednesday night. (FMF (@MarcajeGallos/X)
Violence erupted across broad swaths of Mexico on Sunday after a notorious drug lord was killed by the military, resulting in the cancellation of public events in several states as “shelter in place” orders were issued.
Among the events canceled were four soccer matches, prompting some to wonder if Mexico’s World Cup hosting duties were at risk, especially since the worst violence took place in and around Guadalajara, one of three Mexican host cities for the global soccer tournament.
Online rumors gained considerable traction throughout the day on Sunday, but most were unreliable and unconfirmed accounts.
On Monday, ESPN reported that “there are no signs or indications that Mexico’s ability to host the World Cup or [next month’s] interconfederation playoff matches are at risk.”
Partly fueling the speculation was the decision by the Liga MX, Mexico’s top domestic league, to cancel a Sunday afternoon match, while Ascenso MX — Mexico’s second-tier professional league — postponed two matches.
At the same time, the Liga MX Femenil postponed Sunday’s América-Chivas match, a national derby that was to take place at the Guadalajara stadium where four World Cup matches are slated to be played.
Also on Sunday, a Liga MX Femenil match in Aguascalientes (223 kilometers, or 138 miles, northeast of Guadalajara) was suspended for a few minutes when “detonations” were heard near the stadium.
Mexico’s national soccer federation (FMF) has insisted since Sunday that the game would take place as planned, though it considered a range of logistical measures in case other options were required.
“Although the match is unlikely to be canceled, the safety of those attending is the main concern surrounding this encounter,” an FMF source told the newspaper Record on Monday.
One possibility was to stage the game “behind closed doors” (i.e., no fans allowed in the stadium), but the FMF now anticipates 30,000 fans will be cheering on El Tri at La Corregidora Stadium.
After consulting with the state Security Cabinet Monday night, local authorities consented to allow the game to go forward, though with enhanced security to be provided by federal, state and local agencies. Querétaro officials were meeting with the FMF on Tuesday to finalize details.
El gobernador aseguró que el partido de este miércoles se mantiene sin cambios y con acceso al público, tras atender los recientes hechos de seguridadhttps://t.co/Uj2leYijdbpic.twitter.com/TotFzCxXpz
The Iceland squad arrived in Querétaro on Saturday night and team officials have not publicly expressed any opposition to playing the game.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s players — all from Liga MX clubs — assembled in Mexico City on Sunday before traveling to Querétaro for Monday and Tuesday training sessions.
No doubt, FIFA will be keeping an eye on the security operation at Wednesday’s game and developments across the country over the coming days and weeks, but Mexico’s World Cup hosting status seems assured for now.
Cartel members, like this one captured by the Mexican military, dominate organized crime in Mexico.(Public Domain)
On Sunday morning, the Mexican army followed a still-unidentified woman to a ranch in Tapalpa, a hillside town two hours southwest of Guadalajara. Inside was Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes — better known as El Mencho. During the shootout that quickly ensued, El Mencho was gravely wounded. He died while being airlifted to a hospital.
As chief commander of the CJNG, one of Mexico’s most violent cartels, El Mencho had topped the country’s most-wanted list for eleven years. The U.S. State Department was offering up to US $15 million for information leading to his capture. News of the operation — it would be hours before his death and identity were confirmed — ignited immediate retaliation across the country. Cartel members set vehicles on fire and erected roadblocks at more than 250 points across 20 states. Flights into Jalisco were diverted, schools were closed, and civilians were ordered to stay indoors. The National Guard was deployed and suffered 25 casualties before order began to return.
CJNG cartel founder and chief ‘El Mencho’ was killed in Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Sunday morning. (US Department of Justice)
How could the death of one man bring a country to a standstill?
What is a cartel?
The dictionary definition is simple enough: a group of independent companies that join together to control prices and limit competition. In practice, two types exist — one in a boardroom, the other in Latin America.
A business cartel is a group of otherwise legal firms that secretly agree to fix prices or divide markets rather than compete. Examples include pharmaceutical companies or oil producers coordinating to keep prices at an agreed-upon rate. They operate through contracts and accounting manipulation, and above all, they aim to stay invisible.
A criminal cartel (also known as a drug cartel or an organized crime cartel) operates on the same basic principle — restrict competition, maximize profit — but the methods are entirely different. Rather than legal maneuvering, criminal cartels rely on territory, violence and bribery to run illegal markets and, in many cases, the communities around them. Basically, criminal cartels are sales organizations that govern their chosen markets.
Mexico’s cartels are the most powerful example of an organized crime cartel. To understand how they got there, we have to go south to Colombia.
How did cartels start?
Criminal cartels started near Medellín in the 1970s, when drug smuggling was a relatively straightforward affair — marijuana was grown locally and transported by sea or small plane to the U.S., its primary consumer. As time went on and the shipments got larger and more frequent, the process became more sophisticated. So did the drugs, and by the 1980s, cocaine was in high demand. The infamous Medellín Cartel — led by the now iconic Pablo Escobar — emerged, turning cocaine trafficking into an industrial operation via maritime routes through the Caribbean and into Florida. In the late ‘80s, U.S. law enforcement disrupted the shipping lanes and Colombian traffickers needed a new way in. They turned to Mexico.
How did cartels in Mexico start?
Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo was the driving force behind Mexico’s first cartel, the Guadalajara Cartel. (Public Domain)
More specifically, they turned to Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, a former police officer with close ties to state and national political figures. He had already developed an extensive marijuana and opium trafficking empire out of Sinaloa. Working with Escobar’s network, he moved about four tons of cocaine each month across the U.S.–Mexico border. Critically, he negotiated partial payments in cocaine instead of cash, effectively stockpiling product to push wholesale. Mexico’s first major modern drug trafficking syndicate, the Guadalajara Cartel, was born.
Using Félix Gallardo’s political connections, the Guadalajara Cartel paid officers at Mexico’s federal intelligence agency in exchange for the safeguarding of shipments, securing stash houses and access to clandestine runways. Then, in 1985, a DEA agent was kidnapped and killed in Guadalajara. Four years later, Félix Gallardo was arrested in conjunction with the murder, amongst a litany of additional offenses. He called a meeting with Mexico’s top traffickers from prison, in which he parceled up his empire into regional territories — known as plazas. His nephews took control of the Tijuana route, and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada were given the Pacific coast route. This would soon become the infamous Sinaloa Cartel.
How many identified cartels are there in Mexico?
Hard to say. A 2023–2024 study in the International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy finds that Mexico’s criminal landscape “includes roughly 37 large cartels (many the product of prior splits) and more than 130 smaller affiliates” as of the late 2010s–early 2020s. For U.S. threat‑assessment purposes, the 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment recognizes six major Mexican cartels/transnational criminal organizations. These are:
Sinaloa Cartel (CDS) — the largest and most established, currently fractured by an internal war between the Chapitos (El Chapo’s sons) and Los Mayos (El Mayo’s faction)
CJNG (Jalisco New Generation Cartel) — El Mencho’s organization, known for extreme violence and paramilitary structure, with operations extending into Latin America, the United States and multiple countries as far away as Europe and Asia
Gulf Cartel (CDG) — one of Mexico’s oldest criminal organizations, based in Tamaulipas on the U.S. border
Northeast Cartel (CDN) — originally the armed wing of the Gulf Cartel, now independent and operating primarily in Tamaulipas and Nuevo León
La Nueva Familia Michoacana — a Michoacán-based organization that emerged from the splintering of earlier groups in that state
United Cartels (Carteles Unidos) — a coalition of smaller groups that formed specifically to resist CJNG expansion into Michoacán
What is the structure of a cartel today?
Today, a “cartel” in Mexico is no longer a single firm like it was in the past; it is now a set of highly militarized networks that control territory as much as they move products, and that are deeply embedded in local governance. Territorial control of plazas is now essential to a cartel’s two primary goals: profit and survival. As fragmentation has produced more groups, those plazas are more heavily contested, and turf wars over territory drive much of Mexico’s violence.
Interestingly, Mexico’s two most powerful cartels, CJNG and Sinaloa, run in totally opposite ways. Sinaloa functions as a horizontal structure: a decentralized, federation‑style network made up of semi‑autonomous factions and long‑standing allies. Together, they hold influence in more than 100 municipalities nationwide. The benefit of this structure is both economic and territorial: different factions can specialize in different routes and markets, and can expand to new areas without micromanagement from leadership.
CJNG has traditionally been organized around a single dominant leader. (YouTube)
Perhaps most crucially, the multifaceted organization is able to withstand the loss of a boss or an entire region without fracturing. The downside is the presence of internal rifts over territory and revenue, resulting in spikes in violence.
The CJNG, by contrast, is centralized and vertically organized around a single dominant leader. Its territorial footprint is significantly wider — recent assessments estimate a presence in more than 350 municipalities across the country. Roles range from regional plaza bosses down to lieutenants, sicarios, transporters and money launderers, all answering upward to one command. El Mencho invested heavily in paramilitary training, weapons and recruitment — notably through video games and social media — building strong cohesion and a powerful, violent brand. The vulnerability of this structure is equally clear: remove the leader — a tactic known as decapitation — and without a succession plan in place, the organization risks splintering into factions that fight each other as viciously as they fight rivals.
Do cartels rely totally on drugs for profit?
No — and arguably, they haven’t for a long time. Mexican cartels have spent decades diversifying their empires to touch nearly every sector of the economy. Drugs remain the foundation, but the business has expanded well beyond – here’s where the money comes from.
Drugs — Methamphetamine and fentanyl, manufactured in clandestine labs and trafficked globally, remain the primary revenue source.
Extortion — Businesses, farmers, transport operators and local governments pay regular “protection” fees known as “piso” — protection, ironically, from the cartel itself. The practice mirrors the Italian Mafia’s tributes and the Japanese Yakuza’s “shobadai.”
Huachicol (fuel theft) — Cartels tap Pemex pipelines and steal fuel, reselling it through illegal stations. The Financial Times reported in 2025 that illegal diesel and gasoline fell between 16 and 27% of Mexico’s annual fuel consumption over the last five years, translating to up to $21 billion generated annually.
Fuel theft has become a major profit center for Mexican cartels. (Alejandro Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
Human and sex trafficking — Mexico serves as a source, transit corridor and destination country for both forced labor and sexual exploitation. Cartels also profit heavily from migrant smuggling, charging people en route to the U.S. border for passage. Separately, criminal groups control prostitution networks ranging from street-level operations to established venues, routinely using violence to displace existing operators.
Arms trafficking — Cartels move military-grade weapons — rifles, machine guns, grenades, explosives — through entry points like Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez, supplying both their own operations and external buyers.
Kidnapping for ransom — Originally a cash-flow fix to cover rising costs of weapons and payroll, kidnapping has become a fragmented but persistent market. Victims range from migrants to executives, with national cartels, regional groups and independent cells all participating.
Illegal resource extraction — Cartels extort farmers, hijack shipments and in some areas directly control orchards and packing houses. In avocados, berries and fishing, piso is extracted at every link of the supply chain — growers, packers, transporters — a multimillion-dollar industry.
Cargo theft — Armed teams hijack trucks on major highways, targeting food and beverages, electronics, auto parts and pharmaceuticals. Stolen goods are funneled into informal street markets, black market vendors and increasingly, online resale platforms.
Money laundering — The entire system depends on converting dirty money into clean currency. The DEA’s 2025 assessment states that Sinaloa and CJNG use Chinese money laundering networks to move profits from the U.S. back to Mexico. In June 2025, the U.S. Treasury cut three Mexican financial institutions off from the U.S. banking system after finding they had been used in laundering schemes tied to cartels.
What’s next?
El Mencho is dead. The Mexican government is calling it a victory — and it may well be. But cartels have survived the fall of every kingpin before him. Analysts say the real work starts now: dismantling the infrastructure, the money, the supply chains. Without that, history suggests another El Mencho is already waiting.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog or follow her on Instagram.
