Pregnant Tourist Among Thousands Stranded in Mexico After Cartel Violence Grounds Flights
A pregnant woman in her second trimester is among thousands of tourists trapped in Mexico after a wave of cartel violence grounded flights and caused widespread unrest across several regions. Canadian tourist Meghan Mahoney, who has been vacationing in the coastal resort town of Puerto Vallarta, told CBC that the situation is "scary" and that she has no idea when she will be able to leave.
Violence Erupts After Cartel Leader Killed
The chaos began after Mexican officials confirmed that Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," was killed in a military operation in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday. In the ensuing hours, retaliatory attacks swept across regions, with videos and reports emerging of roadblocks with burning vehicles, shoot-outs, and gas stations being set ablaze.
Puerto Vallarta has become a focal point of the gang violence, with tourists like Mahoney and her husband forced to shelter in place. They had been due to fly out on Sunday but were warned by friends to stay put after seeing fires around the city. "We were actually packing up to get ready to check out and head to the airport this morning," Mahoney said. "Family friends let us know that there are some fires around and to stay put if we could."
Tourists Describe Terrifying Scenes
Mahoney and her husband decided to shelter in their Airbnb, a decision that may have saved them from harm. Her husband had planned to go shopping at a nearby convenience store, but their host strongly advised against it. "And that was fortunate because that convenience store was actually burned, just down the road from us, about an hour later," Mahoney recounted.
Other tourists shared similar harrowing experiences. Eugene Marchenko, 37, of Charleston, South Carolina, told Fox News he woke up to blaring horns and cars ablaze near his balcony. "I looked down and they're completely engulfed in flames," Marchenko said. "It was six cars in total that burned and one fuel tanker." He described a video from a neighbour showing men believed to be cartel members forcing people out of their vehicles before setting them on fire.
Flights Grounded and Travel Plans Disrupted
Dallas resident Adryan Moorefield, who was also supposed to travel home from Puerto Vallarta on Sunday, told CNN that the violence had been a "complete shocker." "We've been to PV before and thought that this would be a no-brainer place to come and do a quick, easy beach vacation," he said.
Katy Holloman of El Dorado Hills, California, was already on her way to the airport when she was told to shelter in place at her hotel. "The road is closed due to the cartel," she told the New York Post. "There's no flights going out of the airport to the States. We've rescheduled them for tomorrow afternoon, really hoping we make it home."
Those who made it to the airport found themselves locked down in the terminal, "surviving off of granola bars," according to traveller Adriana Belli. Another tourist told Fox News that he and his wife, travelling away from their 4-year-old son for the first time, had to call home with distressing news. "I had to call my mom today and tell her, 'Look, here's where my will is. I don't want you to panic, but I may need you to stay a couple days extra with my son.'"
U.S. Issues Travel Advisory
The U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs has urged Americans in several parts of Mexico to shelter in place "due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity." Regions under the advisory include the states of Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero, and Nuevo Leon, highlighting the widespread nature of the unrest.
As smoke billows across Puerto Vallarta and tourists watch from a distance, the situation remains tense. Mahoney expressed hope for a swift resolution: "We can certainly see smoke on all sides ... we're just hoping that everybody stays safe and that we can travel home shortly." With flights grounded and violence ongoing, thousands of tourists await news of when they can safely depart.
