Tourists in Puerto Vallarta were told Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, to stay on their resorts as Mexican and U.S. officials warned of security risks tied to a federal operation in Jalisco state, including road blockages and burning vehicles. Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro said “clashes” followed the operation and that authorities activated a statewide “Code Red,” urging people to stay indoors.
Puerto Vallarta, a major Pacific Coast resort city, sits in Jalisco, home to Mexico’s second-largest metro area, Guadalajara. Reports of vehicle fires and shifting blockades circulated through the day, with officials describing disruptions in multiple locations rather than a single incident site.
Puerto Vallarta travel warning and what triggered it
The immediate trigger was a federal security operation in Tapalpa, a town in Jalisco, according to Lemus. He did not identify the groups involved, but said individuals burned and blocked vehicles to hinder authorities, and that the incidents spread as officials responded.
Tourists interviewed by Fox News Digital said they were urged not to leave their resort and that the warning came without a detailed explanation at the time. Video shared online showed dark smoke rising in parts of the region, consistent with reports of vehicles being set on fire.
Separately, Reuters reported that two government sources familiar with the operation said Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho” and identified as the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed during the operation. Mexico’s security minister said it could not immediately comment, Reuters reported, meaning the claim had not yet been publicly confirmed by the federal government at the time of reporting.
What Mexican officials said about the clashes
Lemus described the situation as fluid, saying blockades shifted and violent incidents spread to multiple points. He said the state remained under Code Red and repeated an instruction for residents to avoid leaving their homes while authorities worked to restore control.
Reuters also reported local media accounts of vehicles burning in the Guadalajara area, underscoring that disruptions were not limited to rural zones near Tapalpa. Officials did not immediately provide a public breakdown of arrests, injuries, or the duration of expected restrictions.
AP reported that cartel groups commonly use roadblocks and burning vehicles to obstruct military operations, and that videos circulating on social media showed smoke over Puerto Vallarta and panic movements at an airport in the region as the day unfolded.
What U.S. officials told Americans in the region
U.S. officials issued a shelter guidance message for Americans in parts of Mexico affected by the operation and its aftermath. Bloomberg reported the U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a security alert urging Americans in impacted areas to shelter in place.
The State Department’s standing Mexico travel advisory also urges travelers to monitor local conditions and understand that the U.S. government’s ability to assist can be limited in high-risk areas. Travelers can review the broader guidance at the State Department’s official Mexico travel advisory.
Tourists in resort areas often experience a different security environment than residents who must travel through affected corridors. Even so, the immediate risk in this episode involved blocked roads and fast-moving enforcement activity, conditions that can make routine movement unpredictable.
