What began as a federal security operation has spiraled into widespread violence across parts of Mexico, with tourists in a popular Pacific Coast destination told to remain inside their resorts as smoke billowed across the skyline.
According to Fox News, the violence followed a federal security operation in the state of Jalisco, prompting urgent warnings from local officials as the situation escalated.
“Tourists in the Mexican seaside city of Puerto Vallarta were told not to leave their resort on Sunday as a government official warned of ‘clashes’ in the area following a federal operation.”
Videos circulating online show thick black smoke rising above city streets, vehicles engulfed in flames, and roadways blocked as violence spread beyond the initial operation zone.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro confirmed that federal forces carried out an operation in Tapalpa, which triggered retaliation.
“Also as a result of said operation, in various points of that region and in other parts of Jalisco, individuals have burned and blocked vehicles with the aim of hindering the actions of the authorities.”
He added that “the violent incidents have spread” and that blockades were shifting across multiple areas as authorities responded.
The situation escalated to the point that the U.S. government stepped in. The U.S. Department of State issued a security alert urging American citizens in affected regions to shelter in place due to “ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity.”
The warning covers parts of Jalisco, including Puerto Vallarta, as well as regions in Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León.
While officials have not publicly detailed the specific target of the operation, local reporting indicates it may involve the Jalisco New Generation cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent criminal groups.
For now, authorities have activated what Governor Navarro described as a “Code Red,” urging residents to remain indoors as federal forces attempt to regain control.
For a city known internationally as a beach resort destination, the images are jarring. What tourists expected to be a quiet Sunday on the Pacific Coast instead unfolded under a cloud of smoke and uncertainty.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY