El Mencho's Assassination U.S. Tourists Stranded In Mexico

Published February 23, 2026 6:18 AM PST

American tourists are hoping they can make it back home alive from Mexico after the country fell into complete chaos following the killing of an infamous drug trafficker by government forces, assisted by the United States.

On Sunday, several tourists took to social media to tell their personal horror stories about being stuck in Mexico following the assassination of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as El Mencho, the leader of Jalisco New Generation Cartel or CJNG.

Mexican authorities, assisted by their U.S. counterparts, killed El Mencho in a military operation, also on Sunday, sparking total mayhem in the streets of Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, Guadalajara and other places.

CJNG members turned the streets into infernos, setting fires to stores and buses while exchanging gunfire with Mexican security forces.

California tourist Katy Holloman jumped on Facebook to report she was told to shelter inside her hotel because it's safer than traveling to the airport. She also said the roads were closed as a result of the violence perpetrated by the cartel and that she was hoping to catch a flight back to the states tomorrow.

Another California tourist, Dan Smith, posted a video showing him dashing down a flight of stairs inside a building with alarms ringing in the background. Smith said he decided to evacuate after propane tanks exploded, hoping the building wouldn't go up in flames. 

Yet another California tourist, James Stephens, uploaded a disturbing video of a Costco store engulfed in flames, while revealing he's stuck in Puerto Vallarta because the cartel is trying to seize control of the city.

Scary stuff!