Mexico: UK Foreign Office issues urgent warning as flights are cancelled due to drug cartel violence

Travellers in the southwest Mexico state of Jalisco have been warned to stay indoors as violence erupted following the killing of a drug cartel kingpin. Footage on social media shows airline passengers seeking cover as Guadalajara airport comes under attack.

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the formidable leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed during a Mexican military operation with US assistance in the town of Tapalpa.

In the wake of the killing of the man widely known as “El Mencho”, violence has erupted in revenge across the state.

The Foreign Office is warning: “Serious security incidents have been reported on 22 February across the state of Jalisco, including in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, following a federal law-enforcement operation against organised crime in the municipality of Tapalpa.

“Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have issued a public advisory to stay indoors. Routes to airports may be blocked. Incidents are also being reported in other parts of the country. You should exercise extreme caution, follow local authorities’ advice, including orders to stay indoors and avoid non‑essential travel in affected areas.”

The US Embassy in Mexico City urged American citizens throughout the state of Jalisco as well as some other parts of the country to “shelter in place until further notice”. The security alert warned of “ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity”.

Many flights to the airports in the popular Pacific resort of Puerto Vallarta and the World Cup 2026 host city of Guadalajara diverted and cancelled.

At least 30 flights departing from US, Mexican and Canadian airports for Puerto Vallarta have either returned to their starting points or diverted to other airports. Dozens more have been cancelled. As a result, many thousands of tourists in the Pacific resort who were expecting to leave on Sunday are stranded.

Puerto Vallarta airport posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter) saying: “By decision of the airlines, today, Sunday, February 22, 2026, all international operations and most of the domestic flights have been canceled.

“We urge passengers and users to remain calm and follow all instructions provided by airport personnel at all times.”

The statement added: “The situations reported in various parts of the state did not impact the airport's internal operations or the safety within its facilities.

“The airport is under the protection of personnel from the National Guard (GN) and the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), as part of ongoing coordination efforts with federal authorities.”

Air Canada posted a message to passengers on X, saying: “Due to an ongoing security situation in Puerto Vallarta impacting the airport, Air Canada has temporarily suspended operations there today. We are monitoring the situation and in contact with local authorities who are working to resolve the issue.

“Customers are advised not to attempt to go to the airport unless their flight is shown as operating on aircanada.com, and will be directly notified of changes to their itineraries. We will share more information as soon as it becomes available.”

An expert on Latin America at the conflict monitoring group Acled warned of further instability.

Sandra Pellegrini said: “The killing of CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes marks a significant operational development for Mexican forces, but the reported immediate highway blockades and arson attacks show how quickly cartels can mobilise retaliation to demonstrate continued control.

“Past cases suggest leadership removals rarely reduce violence long term, and instead often trigger instability as factions compete for power.”

The latest warning does not affect the main resorts for British holidaymakers on the Caribbean coast, notably Cancun. The upsurge in violence is taking place 1,000 miles away.

The only cancellations at Cancun airport are to and from Guadalajara because of the security situation – and also some flights serving the New York area due to extreme winter weather in the northeast US. Sunday flights on Tui from Manchester and Birmingham, British Airways from Gatwick and Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow are all operating normally.

But the Foreign Office updated its advice late on Sunday to warn: “Security incidents have also been reported in other parts of Mexico. As the situation develops, wherever you are in Mexico, you should stay alert and follow local security advice.”

The FCDO already warns against travel to many parts of Mexico because of drug-related violence. The official advice says: “Drug-related violence in Mexico has increased over recent years. Do not become involved with drugs of any kind.

“Some areas of Mexico have a high crime rate due to fighting between rival organised crime gangs. In these areas, there is a risk of being caught in the crossfire or of being mistaken for a gang member.”

Read more: The countries on the Foreign Office “do not travel” list