Mexico: News and Current Affairs

[Northern Light]

As we seem to lack an appropriate thread to discuss today's events in Mexico, I am adding this one, which will be open to future discussions on Mexico's politics and news.

For those who don't know, Mexico launched a federal law enforcement/military operation today against the very large and powerful Jalisco drug cartel, and killed its head.

The Cartel has responded by blockading multiple roads, taking transit buses and setting them on fire, raiding at least one airport, setting fire to multiple businesses and issue warnings to people to get off the streets or they will subject to execution.

Basic Story here:

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/22/americas/mexico-kill-drug-mencho-latam-intl

Some video on the unfolding consequences here:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025646378685235565

For Canadians, note that Air Canada has suspended service to Puerto Vallarta indefinitely.

***

I think readers here at UT are generally well informed, but as background for those not familiar.......the cartels (drug traffickers and engaged in assorted other organized crime) are exceedingly powerful and very well armed.

They have shot down Mexican military helicopters in recent months using Chinese surface-to-Air Missiles.

I offer that as context for the extent of unfolding violence.

 

[lenaitch]

Yet Trump doesn't seem to be bothered by this drug-related lawlessness in 'his' Americas.

 

[TwinHuey]

We’ve been in Mexico since January 8 (Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende) and arrived in Puerto Vallarta on February 15. Yesterday’s events here in PV unfolded below us as we watched from the balcony of our rental apartment.

We sheltered in place for the day.

For context: we’re not scheduled to leave until March 15, so the cancelled flights haven’t affected us directly. We’ve spent considerable time in Puerto Vallarta over the past eight years and have always felt reasonably safe here.

We’re hopeful that yesterday was an anomaly. At this point, we fully intend to return next year.

This morning, we walked through town to see how things looked in the aftermath. I took some photos.

This bus was blocking the highway within a few hundred metres of where we’re staying.
Another Canadian we met this morning witnessed this unfold yesterday. Armed men stopped the bus, calmly ordered the passengers off, and ensured they were well clear before torching it. She described them as orderly. Almost polite.

We could still feel residual heat as we walked past this morning.
This OXXO — one of Mexico’s familiar convenience stores — was burned. Other locations were reportedly targeted as well.
Tough for those who live above the stores.

This was perhaps the most unsettling scene.
At a PEMEX station nearby, vehicles were burned close to the pumps.
A fuel tanker was also ignited on site.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

I heard Trump had his meddling fingers in this initiative...

...so unsurprisingly it's not ending all to well.

 

[hawc]

Those are insane photos. Crazy what you're seeing first hand.

Does it feel like the Cartel has a 'plan' with it's arson? Like let's torch all the gas stations and convenience stores so people can't go about their daily lives, or let's torch visible things etc?

Scary that the same guys that 'politely' ordered all the people off the bus before burning it could have just as easily burned it with everyone onboard or shot everyone onboard.

Do you get a sense that the police/army are still in control?

 

[TwinHuey]

What really stood out to us was that we saw no police and no military presence at all — anywhere. None. That was surprising; we honestly expected to see a strong show of force.

At the same time, people here are getting back to normal quickly. Stores and restaurants are reopening and daily life seems to be resuming.

 

[lenaitch]

It certainly doesn't look like a place I would want to go, or return to. Then again, I'm not a snowbird.

 

[TwinHuey]

One Week Later — Puerto Vallarta

An update for those who were curious, now one week on.

We typically spend our days walking through PV’s barrios and continued to do so all week. The situation has been widely covered, so this may repeat what’s already known — but these are simply our observations on the ground.

The first firebombings began around 8:00 a.m. There was no media coverage or public announcements until later that afternoon. We register with Global Affairs Canada for all travel outside the country, and at approximately 11:00 a.m. we received an email alert advising us of the unfolding events, along with links to the nearest Canadian consulate. Impressive.

Almost every OXXO and Kiosko we’ve walked past — roughly a dozen or so — was firebombed. (OXXO operates over 22,000 convenience stores across Mexico.) No other types of businesses appeared to be targeted. City buses were burned, as were private vehicles. Notably, none of the American-branded chains — Starbucks, McDonald's, KFC, Domino's — were touched. We also saw no evidence of looting.

At the bus stop, waiting for the next bus.

Clean-ups began within 48 hours. Life returned to normal quickly — buses running, shops reopening, people back on the streets.

As seen today, at the same PEMEX station as the photo I posted with the burned tanker truck.

As mentioned previously, for several days afterward there were no visible security forces — no police or military — anywhere we walked, which was surprising. Five days later, on Friday, the military issued a public announcement advising residents not to be alarmed as a convoy of approximately 40 military vehicles carrying roughly 300 soldiers was about to enter the city.

Things feel normal again — just a little quieter.